Gunsligner Girl: A New Beginning
by jonusb1277
Summary: This is a fanfic cross-over featuring primarily the characters of Gunslinger Girl, and with a few characters of Street Fighter. In addition, there are some minor cameos from Steig Larsson's, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo."
1. Chapter 1

**GUNSLINGER GIRL: A NEW BEGINNING**

Premise - set upon Triela's first learning of her past, from Mario Bossi

Characters:

Hilshire: Triela's handler

Mario Bossi: Former mobster, who turned himself in after finding out about child smuggling. He was called in to testify, and was immediately placed under the protection of the Hilshire/Triela fratello; friends with Hilshire

Maria "Mimi" Machiavelli: Mario's daughter; placed under the protection by Hilshire/Triela fratello while Mario testifies; befriends Triela

Jose: Henrietta's handler; brother of Jean Croce; younger sister and family were killed by an explosion by the terrorist faction known as Padania

Henrietta: Among the Social Welfare Agency's first cyborgs. Mild-natured on the inside; she is still a very skilled assassin

Triela: Among the eldest of the 1st generation cyborgs. The younger cyborgs look up to her for guidance. She is only now coming to terms with her own identity

Cammy White: Former brainwashed assassin for Shadoloo crime syndicate. Now works with Interpol.

Lisbeth Salander: Committed to a mental institution at the age of twelve for the attempted murder of her father. Raped by a legal guardian. She is ultimately granted her freedom as Ward of the State and other crimes she was wrongfully accused of, when her father's crime syndicate is charged with conspiracy and the doctor that cared for her at the institution himself is accused of abuse.

Mikael Blomkvist: Journalist of Millenium Magazine. Worked with Salander to solve decades old mystery involving missing young woman on behalf of Henrik Vanger, of the Vanger Corporation.

SWA: Social Welfare Agency

Prologue

The SWA is an Italian government organization heavily funded with grants under the presumption that it as saved countless lives through advances in medicine and prosthetics. What only a select few outsiders know, the Agency has developed its own government sponsored assassins stronghold. Young girls no older than 13, are selected from a crop of severely handicapped and terminally ill hospital patients, and are subjected to countless hours of brainwashing though the use of specialized chemicals developed by the SWA. After this form of "conditioning", the girls lose the memories of their past lives and become merciless, unemotional killing machines when assigned to specified jobs. The girls are not alone. Each girl is paired with an adult male as her "handler". This team is known in the SWA as a "fratello". Depending on the task at hand, fratello may work alone or be grouped with other fratello on larger jobs.

The protagonist of the story, Triela, has been a cyborg assassin with the SWA for [five years]. Over those years, she has developed a fondness for her handler, Hilshire, even though he has given her no clues to her past. Like his handler counterparts, Hilshire has never told Triela of her past life; even though he has begrudgingly held onto his own regrets deep inside over how Triela's life has turned out. Unlike the other handlers, Hilshire was directly responsible for personally saving the life of the girl who would become his cyborg assassin.

* * *

 _Setting: Hotel room across the street from Mario Bossi's apartment; Near midnight_

Premise: Mario has just informed Triela about the truth of how she became a cyborg. Hilshire was working at Europol and befriended a medical examiner by the name of Rachelle, when they uncovered the secret location of where so-called "snuff" films had been shot; demented sickos with the fetish for kidnapping children and filming their abuse and mutilation for anyone interested. The two of them shot their way into the hideout; Rachelle taking a bullet wound to the gut as she managed to compose herself, they stumbled into a room where an unconscious, mutilated young girl lay abandoned. Rachelle began CPR, and as she heard a faint breath from the girl and collapsed, she made Hilshire promise to protect her; in the name of humanity. Hilshire took the girl to the hospital, where he was approached by the SWA. To save her life, he sacrificed her soul. While the SWA brought her back to the living; she was now a tool for the government's disposal. This was the regret that Hilshire would be forced to live with for the rest of his life.

Hilshire puts his hands on Triela's shoulders. "Well now you know," he says to her. "I'll never ask you for forgiveness. Rachelle brought you back to life, and I took it from you again. Each handler has their own inner demons to overcome. None of us have it easy. But at the end of the day, we've come to terms with the fact that we're still human. We can think for ourselves. I would gladly sacrifice my mind, body and soul if I knew that they could be used to make you the innocent girl you were before the bastards kidnapped you."

Treila shakes her head. "I can't blame you for what I am today," she says. "Treila shakes her head. "I can't blame you for what I am today," she says. "you and Rachelle were there to rescue me. The SWA put me back together. Of course I wish I were more like every other girl. That's why envy Mimi. She can do what she wants. The world is her oyster, as they say. I know it's a horrible thing to say, but every time she tells me it's 'cool' that I get to travel all over and meet interesting people, I want to tell her I would trade places with her in a heartbeat."

Hilshire stands up and spreads his hands out to her. "But don't you see? You ARE capable of having emotions. In my mind, you are on your way to becoming a young woman; not just a cyborg for the SWA's fucking amusement. And just for the record, every time I heard Jean refer to you girl's as a cyborg to our affiliates, I wanna punch him in the face."

Triela puts her head between her hands. "But I am a cyborg! I can disassemble a .357 Magnum in a minute and a half and reassemble it again in less than a minute. I can carry a grown man on my back like he's a stuffed doll. The conditioning makes us that way. You know it as well as I."

Hilshire waves his hands angrily. "The fucking conditioning is where I reach my boiling point. Coincidentally, just the other day I yelled at Jean about the possibility of drastically reducing he conditioning of all of you girls; for fear about what's happening to Angelica. He said that he didn't wanna hear it. I walked out."

Triela bends over to kiss him. "Thank you. For what it's worth, you're the only family I've ever known. I know the other first gen girls look up to me, but I can't go on like this way. Considering how short our lifespans are, I want to make the most of it. If I can't, I might as well end it now. I don't want to be a burden to you. I don't want you to have to live with the regret for what I am; nor do I want you to feel heartbroken over the loss of Rachelle every time you see me.

"I'm ready to make a call to SWA right now." Hilshire says as he gets up from the sofa and stares out the window. "I'll give them an ultimatum; release you from the services or I expose everything to the media."

"I know you're only kidding." She looks up to him with a slightly melancholy expression on her face. "They can't take that threat seriously. You and I both know we're all expendable. They'd just as quckly drop the lot of us like we were ducks in a pond. Don't you remember what happened to Roballo? And I care about the girls. Henrietta and Rico. Claes of course, my roommate. Without a roommate, she'd be the first to go."

Hilshire walks back over to Triela who's now sitting on the couch where he was. "It won't be that way. I know people. Mario knows people. If this went public, the shit would hit the fan all the way to the governor's office. All I need to do is have Mario be the frontman. If we fall, his crew will be the insiders to expose the SWA from the ground up. It's possible that I don't need to bother with threats, maybe hell will freeze over and the talking heads of the SWA would have a change of heart. Who knows?"

"But you have a life. Leave me. Find a girl. Start a family," said Triela.

"YOU ARE MY LIFE!" Hilshire shouts back at her. "I owe that to Rachelle. You have a spark inside that bears a striking resemblance to a young woman. I want to see that spark flourish, or so help me I'll die trying."

"Are you going to tell the other fratellos?" Triela says. "I don't want them to get in trouble because of me."

"I have to think about it," Hilshire responds. "Allesandro and Petrushka would be easy enough. They're like a couple anyway; being that she's a second gen and older than you. Jose and Henrietta could be ok. He does care about her the way I care about you; but he still has the grudge against the 5 factions for murdering his family. Jean and Rico would be the most difficult to convince. Jean's thirst for vengeance against the 5 factions is deeper than his brother's. But if I could convince Jean to come on board, the hardest part is making him believe that Rico isn't just a fucking expendable robot."

"Well while I'm fluent in three languages, I'm no expert in talking with grownups," says Triela. "but I will put my life on the line to protect you and the girls."

Hilshire walks over to get his jacket. "I'm gonna go out and call Allesandro. For all we know he could be in bed with Petrushka anyhow."

Triela turns her head towards Hilshire, holding up her hand. "Hold on. Do you think it's safe to bring it up to Mario and Mimi?"

"Not yet," Hilshire says shaking his head. "Even though I trust them, I don't want them to get the wrong idea that this is a done deal. One slip up by anyone could royally fuck up the plan."

"Fine, then I won't say anything to them for now." Says Triela. " I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed. Good luck."


	2. Chapter 2

**_SCENE II. PUBLIC PARK NEAR HOTEL. 2AM._**

Hilshire is on a park bench making a phone call on his cell. Allesandro has been sleeping but reluctantly reaches for the phone. He puts the receiver to his ears. "Christ, this better be important. Whoever the fuck this is better have a damn good reason for waking me up. "

"Sandro it's me," Hilshire said. "I'm sorry for calling you at this time of night but it couldn't wait."

"Well fuck it; I'm up. So what's the story?" says Allesandro.

Hilshire pauses, then responds. "Triela found out about her past. After a long talk, we both had a moment of clarity."

"That's poetry, man," Allesandro says facetiously. "Tears are streaming down my face. THE FUCK'S THIS GOT TO DO WITH ME?!"

"It's about all of us, including the girls," Hilshire says. "Triela and I want out, and we're hoping you'd join us."

"And you'd figure Petra and I would be the easiest to convince," Allesandro says. "It's no secret I don't think of her as a damn robot. I treat her like she's my…..eh nevermind."

"None of my business," Hilshire assures him. "I want it so the girls thank think for themselves. So they can be their own boss. I have a plan that I believe would ultimately lead us to salvation; or for heaven's sake we'll die trying."

"Die trying, "Allesandro says with a chuckle. "Hmph; that's a laugher. We'll just walk away from the job to bring down the 5 factions. Fuck the SWA; the government itself would hunt us down until Judgement Day, and string us up by our balls in front of the girls before they're executed one by one."

"You worry too much," Hilshire says with a smile on his face." I've got friends in high places that could turn the government upside down given the proper signal. And they'd do it before anyone gets hurt."

"'Moment of clarity', yeah," Allesandro says with a smirk on his face. "Fuck it; I'm in. I've got nothing left to lose. After I had first heard what happened to Angelica, I went berserk. I try to clear my mind from the reality of the girl's short life spans, but I simply can't at times. I don't wanna lose Petra. Speaking of which, what do I tell her?"

"Well I don't mean to sound like a sap, "Hilshire says, "but tell her how you really feel about her. Then you can open up about the plan."

"Hey, now that you bring it up, what the hell is the plan anyway," says Allesandro.

"One big threat; exposing everything," Hilshire responds. "I'd go to the media."

"Um…Yeah…" Allesandro says. "Remind me just one more time how this won't end in a painful death. And please don't say the 'friends in high places' bullshit. They don't get any higher than what the SWA has with the government."

"Does the Italian government control the world, International Media, the UN; and the mother of all, Facebook?" Hilshire says. "Try to imagine if news got to the States that we Italians are brainwashing prepubescent girls into cyborg killing machines. They'd lead a charge on economic sanctions the likes of which hadn't been seen in these parts since World War II. Yeah, the government would be shitting their pants."

Allesandro grins. "I like your mindset, pal. So what do you need me to do?"

"Nothing for now," Hilshire says. "I've gotta make a few more phonecalls."

"Right. Lemme guess, Jose and Jean; in that particular order" said Allesandro.

"Well definitely Jose," said Hilshire. "I just have to figure out what to say to him. This thing can't wait until after the job with the 5 factions is over. We could all be dead by then. But Jean is a different story. Not only does he carry the burden of a personal grudge against the factions over the deaths of his family, he still thinks of Rico as nothing more than a tool."

"I never liked him anyway," said Allesandro. "Might as well pop a cap in his ass."

"What about Rico?" says Hilshire. "She's more dependent on Jean than any of the other girls with their handlers. In this mission, I'm adopting a policy of 'no child left behind'".

"Cute. What about Bernardo and Beatrice?" says Allesandro.

"Jesus I forgot about them," says Hilshire. "I don't even know where he'd stand with this."

"I'll deal with him," Allesandro says. "You might as well say he's a cross between Jean and Jose on how he feels about Beatrice.

"Meet him at a bar for a drink," Hilshire suggests. "You could tell him after he's had a few. You could even bring Petrushka."

"Not a chance in hell," Allesandro snickers back. "After a few glasses he might make the mistake of hitting on her. Let's only have to worry about the Jean-Rico team having a hander-less cyborg."

"Good. It's already close to 3am," Hilshire says yawning. "I'm gonna call it a night, and then get on the phone with Jose first thing in the morning. Bon Chance with Bernardo.

"You'll need all the luck with Jose," Allesandro says. "Night."


	3. Chapter 3

**_SCENE III. HOTEL ROOM; MORNING._**

Triela just woke up, standing in her pajamas to see Hilshire already up and sitting on the couch. Shebrushes the hair away from her bangs. "Morning. So how'd it go last night with Allesandro?"

Hilshire waves his hands in the air and shakes his head, "Difficult. As expected he was pissed I called him so late at night."

"But was he on board? We're gonna need all hands on deck eventually," says Triela.

Hilshire nods his head, "He is. I didn't have to beat around the bush over how he feels about Petrushka. The bigger obstacles are the others I completely forgot about the Beatrice/Bernardo team."

"Well I can only speak for the girls," says Triela. "Beatrice is pretty much by the book, kind of like Rico in a way; though not as childlike on the inside."

"I'm really concerned with the handlers," says Hilshire. "I'll take it to my grave that I'll see to it that each of you girls can live normal, productive lives like any other girl your age. You should be interested in boys, pop music, dancing, etc. Not the next fucking Padania target on the government's shit list."

Triela walks over and kisses him. "I'll keep a lid on it with everyone until they bring it up to me," she says.

"And the only way they'll bring it up is after their handlers have told them."

"So is Bernardo next on the list?" She asks.

Hilshire shakes his head. "Allesandro will deal with him. They'll meet for drinks and he'll bring it up."

Triela smiles with her arms folded. "You wouldn't tag along?"

"Not a chance. Allesandro's on better terms with Bernardo than I am. He'll be fine," he says with the utmost of confidence.

"So when do you talk to Jose?"

"Once I get the confirmation that Bernardo is on board. In the meantime we'll lay low, unless G-d forbid we're called in for a job." He replied.

* * *

 ** _SCENE IV: LOCAL TOWN BAR; LATER ON THAT EVENING._**

Allesandro is flirting with the female bartender when Bernardo walks in. He stands up from the bar seat signaling his fellow Handler. "Bernie! Get your ass over here, buddy. Haven't had a drink with you in a lifetime!"

"As if you need an excuse to make a move on a cute bartender." Bernardo says with a smirk on his face,"Won't Petrushka be jealous?"

Allesandro sticks up his middle finger. "You're funny, dick. So what do you want? I'm buying."

"Scotch on the rocks."

 _Allesandro signals for two drinks._

Bernardo senses there's something going on. "So what's the real occasion? I wasn't born yesterday. You must have some agenda for meeting me here?"

Allesandro takes a sip from his drink. "How is Beatrice doing? Has she ever come off as being, I don't know, insecure?"

Bernardo frowns at the question. "She's a fricken cyborg. They're not supposed to be anything more than tools for us."

Allesandro shakes his head. "She's more than that, pal. Just like Petra, Beatrice has a mind of her own; I'd bet my life on it. You never let her be just a kid, Bernie."

"A kid? A kid plays with dolls. A kid cries when she breaks a fingernail." Bernardo lowers his voice to a near whisper, "A kid can't fire 20 live rounds of ammunition hitting the center of the target like these girls can. It's cool, but inhuman."

Allesandro orders two more drinks, and turns his head to look directly into Bernardo's eyes,"You know, for the life of me I just don't get you. You really have no sympathy for Beatrice?"

Bernardo looks down into his drink, "I never said that I don't feel pity for her. I know she's going to die at some point, in the not-too-distant future. That's gotta suck. I'm not the asshole you think I am.

"You're not a heartless asshole, but you're still an asshole." Allesandro replies sincerely, "Just try to put yourself in Beatrice's tiny shoes. You know it's the fucking conditioning that's shortening her lifespan. And it's that very same conditioning that's trained her to be the cold-hearted assassin that the SWA's looking for."

Bernardo chugs the rest of his drink, "Takes one to know one. Just because Petrushka is a second-gen, you think she's really any different? If it wasn't for your pedophilic obsession with your little ballerina, you'd come to the realization that she's nothing more than a cyborg assassin too. She just has longer legs than Bea."

Allesandro takes a deep breath to calm down before causing a scene, "It doesn't have to be that way."

"What do you mean? Like anyone has a choice." Bernardo replies as he looks down at the table in front of him.

Allesandro proceeds to order two more drinks for them. He takes a moment to stir his drink and then replies, "Last night I spent over an hour on the phone with Hilshire. He's come up with a plan to get out of this permanently. He just needs us all on board."

Bernardo is taken off guard by the statement, "The hell would I want to get out of this for? The pay is excellent. Get to see parts of the Italian landscape I'd never dreamed of. I'm sure you'd get a kick of how Bea loves the long road trips we take on occasion for the next job."

"But that's just it." Allesandro snaps back, "It's always just a job. Maybe she wants something more out of life.

"You'd hate me for saying this, but that's what the conditioning's for." Bernardo replies as he shakes his head.

"Keep it up," Allesandro says while pointing his finger at Bernardo, "and I'll reconsider what I said before on how you're not a heartless asshole."

Bernardo waves his hands in the air, "Fine. You win. I'll humor you. What is the plan and what do I need to do?"

Allesandro takes another sip of his drink, "In a nutshell, Hilshire's plan would either result in everyone's freedom or grab SWA by the balls so tightly it'll be cumming out of its mouth"

Bernardo thinks to himself _he must be out of his damn mind_ , then says, "And how will this not result in our tragic; if not bloody ends? Remember Rabollo?"

Allesandro responds confidently, "Hilshire's got connections. If we fall, the shit will really hit the fan."

"Ok, I'm on board for real." Bernardo slams his hands on the table, "When do I take Bea for ice cream and dolly shopping?"

"Nothing's changed as of now." Allesandro replies shaking his head, "If SWA calls, you go on assignment like any other job. Hilshire will call Jose next."

Bernardo's eyes widen, "Wow. Wouldn't want to be in his shoes. That can't be a pleasant call."

Allesandro nods his head, "Yeah, no shit. Jose is the bridge to Jean. Once those two are on board, all the dominoes will be in place."

Bernardo lifts his glass, "I'll drink to that. Cheers."

 _They tap their glasses together and drink._


	4. Chapter 4

**_SCENE V: ALLESANDRO'S APARTMENT; NEAR MIDNIGHT._**

ALLESANDRO WALKS IN TO FIND PETRUSHKA PASSED OUT ON THE COUCH. Allesandro walks in to find Petrushka passed out on the couch. "Hey Petra, you awake?"

Curled up in her usual fetal position, Petrushka rubs her eyes, "What time is it? I was just watching TV and fell asleep here."

Allesandro can't help but smile at her, "Midnight. Just came back from the bar after a long night with Bernardo."

"Oh yeah? How's he doing? How's Bea?

"Bernie's well….Bernie. And Bea?" He says with a chuckle, "You'd have an easier time asking the Pope to confess his moral sins to you then getting any insights as to how Bea's doing from Bernie."

Petrushka shakes her head,"They've got a sad relationship. I really feel sorry for Bea. She looks up to Bernardo and gets nothing in return."

Allesandro can only nod, "You've said a mouthful there. And what's more, she'd take a bullet for the sunovabitch in the blink of an eye. Well in any event, I'm a little drunk so I'm just about ready to call it a night."

"Sounds good. Night." She says while yawning.

* * *

 ** _SCENE VI: BERNARDO'S PLACE. THE NEXT MORNING._**

Beatrice walks into the room to Bernardo on the couch with his hands over his head. "Beatrice: Is something the matter? I'm not used to seeing you like this."

"It's just a hangover, don't worry about it." He says to her, trying to hide his emotions.

"Could I get you an Aspirin? Tea?" She says with some concern.

"No, I'll be all right. Just leave me alone for awhile."

 _[The phone rings]_

Jean is on the line. "Bernardo it's me. You're to head out to Tuscanny and rendezvous with with Jose/Henrietta. There's a shipment of high grade nitroglycerin coming from Germany being transported by Padania. Jose will fill you in with the details once you get there."

"Ok boss. _[hangs up the phone]_ Bastard."

Beatrice notices his frustration, "So where are we off to?"

"Tuscanny. The shit never ends." Bernardo flings his phone to the floor with authority.

* * *

 ** _SCENE VII: BERNARDO'S CAR ON THE ROAD TO TUSCANNY; AFTERNOON._**

Beatrice is sitting in the front passenger's seat while staring out the window. Bernardo senses something unusual with her. "The hell are you looking at? We're in the middle of nowhere here."

Beatrice turns her head to look back at Bernardo. "Just the scenery. Claes once told me about how nice the Tuscan hills look around this time of year. Of course she never saw them herself. Just read about them in books."

"Yeah, it is something."


	5. Chapter 5

**_SCENE VIII: DOWNTOWN TUSCANNY, 6PM._**

The Bernardo/Beatrice fratello meets with the Jose/Henrietta fratello at a hotel lobby.

"So what's the deal here? Nothing makes you feel more alive than driving through the Tuscan Hills, only to shoot some Padania scum downtown." says Bernardo, clapping his hands in eager anticipation.

"We're going to stake positions at the town rooftops." Jose points to the destinations, "Intelligence has learned that two Padania agents are coming in with some rather large suitcases. We're to wait for the right moment when they're alone and take them out."

"What happens with the suitcases?" Bernardo asks, "Do we come down and take them back with us?"

"No. I'll call the police as an anonymous tipster." Replies Jose, "Remember "see something, say something?"

Bernardo smiles at him,"Oh, how can I forget?" He notices Henrietta seemingly upset and shying away from everyone, "By the way, what's wrong with your cyborg?"

Jose turns to look at Henrietta, "She had a bad day yesterday. She realized she was forgetting some of the trivial things that we did, and immediately thought of those symptoms Angelica had weeks before she died. You don't have to worry, they gave her a small dose of conditioning and I'm confident she'll remain focused throughout the mission."

Bernardo strokes his hands through his hair, "Um…ok. That's good."

Beatrice walks over to Henrietta, who has been sitting on a couch the whole time, "Beatrice: What's the matter Henrietta? Usually you're the one to get us to talk up."

Henrietta somberly replies, "Hi Beatrice. I forgot when Jose first bought my telescope. I don't want to forget, because then I think what happened to Angelica."

"It's a side effect of the conditioning." Beatrice says matter-of-factly, "Just helps us stay more focused on the missions."

"I know." Henrietta grabs both of Beatrice's hands and begs, "Please don't tell Jose or Bernardo, but I wish we didn't have to be conditioned like this. I like thinking about the nice things."

"My lips are sealed," Beatrice promises, "but we still have a job to do."

Henrietta nods her head and smiles, "Thank you."

* * *

 ** _SCENE IX: TOWN SQUARE; 8PM._**

Jose and Henrietta are staked on the top of an apartment building; with Bernardo and Beatrice on the roof of an abandoned warehouse. The teams are communicating through Walkie Talkie.

"Our friends should be coming any moment." Jose whispers through the Walkie Talkie, "As soon as I see them come through the alley here, I'll signal for Henrietta to take the shot. If something goes awry, that's your cue."

"In other words, if I see two people walking below with large suitcases, I give Bea the signal to open fire." Bernardo replies.

"You got it." Jose replies, then spots two suited men dragging along overly large suitcases, "Hey, there they are!"

Jose immediately looks through his binoculars and turns to Henrietta, "Henrietta, wait until I give you the signal. They're about to come through the alley."

As he turns to look at Henrietta, he notices a tear coming down her eye. "Henrietta you must stay focused. Get ready to take them down."

Another tear streams down her face. Jose runs over to where Henrietta is positioned on the roof, "Let me take over or they'll get away"

Henrietta pleads with him, "No….Jose I can do it."

Jose yells at her, "Take the shots now!"

Henrietta shoots, but it's merely a flesh wound on both agents. They scramble out of the alley to get to safety.

Above the abandoned warehouse, Bernardo spots the two wounded agents running away from the scene, "Fuck, is that them?" He turns to Beatrice, "That's our cue, Bea. When you've got a clear shot, take them out."

Beatrice waits until the two men are about to enter a nearby building. She opens fire and gets two headshots, taking both down. "Nice work," he says with pride, "I wonder what happened with Jose's team. I'll call the Agency to pick up the suitcases."

* * *

 ** _SCENE X: HOTEL LOBBY; 10PM._**

After dinner on their own, the two teams meet up for the first time since the mission took place. Bernardo is there with Beatrice, but Jose is alone. Bernardo notices the absence, "Where's your cyborg? What happened today?"

Jose shakes his head, the guilty conscious looming, "Henrietta was about to take the shots when she started crying. She managed only the flesh wounds. As soon as we got back to the hotel, she ran upstairs to the room."

"So what are you going to do with her?" Bernardo's concern is evident.

Jose stares up at the ceiling, "What _can_ I do? I'll tell Jean and they'll simply increase her conditioning. I've really got no options."

"How about not telling him?" suggests Bernardo.

Jose is surprised by this remark by Bernardo, "Since when did you concern yourself with the cyborgs? Wouldn't you turn Beatrice in?"

"I guess you're right," Bernardo admits. "I would've turned her in. But I tell ya, some of this shit just doesn't compute. The girl has trouble focusing cause her minds' been wiped, so we just cure it with more brainwashing.

Jose smiles, "You know, I think that may have been the first time I heard you refer to them as 'girls' and not just 'cyborgs'."

Bernado sighs, "Yeah, well…don't get used to it."

Jose laughs, and slaps him on the back, "There's hope for you yet…..I guess I can keep Henrietta's mishap to myself. Are you ok with that?"

"I'm fine." Bernardo replies, "Just chalk off the misfires as a fluke. Shit happens."

"Thanks," Jose covers his mouth in a yawn, "I'm off to bed. Night."

Bernardo waves back to him, "Night".

* * *

 _ **SCENE XI**_

 _Later that night, Bernardo walks into a darkened room. Carefully, he opens Beatrice's door to see she's fast asleep; curled up in a fetal position under the covers. After closing the door, he says to himself, "Sandro, you sunuvabitch, this plan better work._


	6. Chapter 6

**_SCENE XII: SWA HEADQUARTERS, TWO DAYS LATER. EARLY AFTERNOON._**

Triela, Henrietta, and Beatrice have all come back from their missions. Triela knocks on Henrietta and Rico's room, where she could hear crying from the inside. Rico calls out to her, ""Come in"

Triela walks in to see Henrietta sobbing on the bed under the covers. She walks over to comfort her. "What's wrong? I heard the mission was successful."

Henrietta tries to compose herself, "They didn't tell you anything? I missed my shots. Beatrice was force to kill the marks. Jose swore that I wouldn't get conditioned for this, but I don't know how he can't convince Jean otherwise."

Beatrice just happens to walk by and notices the commotion with the door being open. "Why are you crying Henrietta?"

Henrietta looks up to Beatrice as she walks in the room, "Because I'm a failure and I'm a goner. I trust Jose, but I just don't know if I can trust anyone else."

"You can trust Bernardo." Beatrice reassures her, "On the ride back, he told me that he and Jose would keep what happened to themselves."

"Bernardo said that?" Triela said, taken aback by Beatrice's statement, "Wow, I didn't know he cared that much. There's more to him than meets the eye."

"Thanks everyone." Henrietta smiles as she looks around to everyone around her, "I just don't know what I would do without you."

Triela sits on the bed and lets Henrietta lay her head in her lap, "We'll always be there for you." As Triela gently strokes her hair, Henrietta smiles as tears trickle down her face. Bernado glances in the room as he walks by. None of the girls notice him. He shakes his head and thinks to himself, "Sandro, this plan better work, dammit. These girls are too good for this shit anymore."

 ** _SCENE XIII: SHOOTING RANGE WITHIN SWA HEADQUARTERS._**

Jose, Jean and Bernardo are monitoring while Beatrice, Henrietta, Rico, and Triela are shooting at targets. Hilshire walks offsite as he flags down Marco, who had just been briefed at HQ.

"How's everything been going, Marco? I haven't gotten the chance to speak to you since the cemetery."

 _NOTE: Hilshire had talked to Marco at the cemetery on grounds after having buried Marco's former cyborg, Angelica. She had sacrificed her life to save him, and he had expressed interest to Hilshire about being the handler for another girl._

Marco rubs the back of his head, "It's been rough, pal. I know I told you that I wanted to become a handler again, but every so often the guilt overwhelms me."

"What type of guilt?" Hilshire begins to sense a unique opportunity, "All of us knew what was involved the moment we joined the team. You can't deny these girls would've been as good as goners if it wasn't for the SWA."

"Right, they're all saints at the Agency." Marco sarcastically replies, "Everyone's in it to help the kids."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I know how you feel. I rescued Triela, and was forced to comply with their demands to make her into a machine."

"Neither Triela, Angelica, or any of the other cyborgs deserves this." says Marco, shaking his head, "The only reason I considered taking on a new one was to make sure she would be in good hands. I learned a lot from Angelica"

Hilshire puts his hand on Marco's shoulder with a smile, "You'd be a great father, Marco. Don't sell yourself short for this nonsense."

"I hear what you're saying," Marco says, with apprehension, "but I just wouldn't be able to live with myself with the knowledge that some asshole is treating his new cyborg like a fucking puppet. Angelica was devoted to me, and I brushed her off until it was too late."

"You weren't as terrible to Angelica as you think you were." Hilshire reassures him, "The Pasta story is the stuff of legends at HQ. Do you think Lauro ever read to Elsa? He wouldn't give her the time of day if she asked for it."

"Lauro was just a dick." Marco shakes his head as he thinks of the ex handler who was shot to death in a murder/suicide by his cyborg, "I'd have plugged him myself if given the opportunity. But thanks for the accolades. In the end though, what other choice do I have?"

Hilshire thinks to himself it's now or never, "Well you're a man I know I can trust. I'm going to let you in on a secret. I want out. These girls deserve better."

Marco laughs at the remark, "Dude, we all wanted out at some point. Talking about it doesn't change anything."

"Well maybe it's about time we did more than just talk about it; for the girls' sake."

"Ok, you've got my undivided attention. What's the story?"

"In a nutshell, it involves blackmailing the SWA to force the release of the cyborgs."

Marco can't believe what he's hearing, "Christ man, you gotta lay off the drugs. The shit's affecting your mind."

"You know I've got connections." Hilshire continues to reassure him, "I can screw them up royally; given the opportunity."

"I'd be lying if I said I'm not at least intrigued by your attitude." Marco says, with a sudden thought processing in his head, "Count me in, but on one condition."

"What condition?"

Marco looks up to the sky, "Give your plan a code name: PERO"

Hilshire joins him in looking up to the sky, "Pero?"

"Angelina's former dog," Marco drops his head to the ground, "and the only thing that loved her back throughout her former life."


	7. Chapter 7

**_SCENE XIV: HILSHIRE'S APARTMENT; 7PM._**

After briefing Marco over the plans earlier in the day, Hilshire has thought of nothing but the inevitable conversation he's about to have with Jose. He thinks to himself _moment of truth..._ and picks up the phone and proceeds to dial. The phone rings four times before Jose picks up.

"Jose here"

"Hey Jose. Uh...I Just thought I'd check up on you," Hilshire says with some degree of insincerity. "How's it going with you and Henrietta? Heard the job in Tuscanny went through without a hitch."

"Hi Hilshire," he says, somewhat surprised by the obscure question,"On one hand, we got the targets; but I can't say that everything went off without a hitch."

"Howso?"

"Well you know Henrietta has been forgetting things lately, right?"

"Yeah..."

"She was thinking about that at the critical movement when the targets were in sight; she lost focus and only wounded them."

Hilshire senses yet another opportunity to put the ball in his court, "Considering this is the first time I've heard this, I assume you haven't told your brother; much less the heads of state at the Agency."

"You assume correct. Believe it or not, it was Bernardo who encouraged me not to."

"Well I'll be a son of a gun," Hilshire replies, pretending to act surprised.

"Yeah. I guess sooner or later it damns on us that these are still kids; living and breathing people."

Hilshire likes where this is going, "True, but they're only here to do our cleanup work with the Padania. If it wasn't for that, they'd have sooner been left for dead."

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, you're right. What other choice do we have?"

Hilshire wipes the sweat off his brow before carrying on in the conversation, "I may have one. But it's a huge commitment. You'd have to go over boundaries you've never thought of before."

Jose smirks to himself at the remark, "If it involves Jean; I've been there, done that."

"He's the first step. We would need him to actually go along with this to make it work. Allesandro and I both agree, no girl gets left behind."

"Allesandro huh?" Jose chuckles, "Figures he'd be among the first to go along."

"He was the first to jump aboard, but I've gotten others as well. But I need you. What I'm telling you now could land me in solitary confinement or deportation; if I'm lucky. All you'd need to do is tell your brother or the stiffs at the Agency."

"Now why would I do that?" Jose angrily replies,"You haven't told me shit. And anyway, don't think just because you're the only one of us that was with your girl the moment she was first taken to a hospital, that you're anything special. Each of us has some kind of connection with our girl. Some just have more trouble showing it than others."

"Jean," says Hilshire, after faking a mock cough.

Jose catches the unsettling tone in Hilshire's voice, "He has his moments with Rico, trust me. To anyone else, he'll come off as a cold sonuvabitch. But she's not an object to him. If she were ever in trouble, there's no doubt in my mind he'd come to rescue her in a flash."

"The hell you say," Hilshire says, flabbergasted, "Well I'm going to fill you in on the details. It's then up to you to move forward with your brother. Once Jean's on board, it's full steam ahead."

"Pffft. How many people do we have to kill for this to work?"

"Hopefully none. It's a blackmail."

"You mean a ransom; hostage taking?" asks Jose.

"A threat to expose everything. I've got connections; I shit you not."

"Christ, that's hardcore. You might be better off if one of us just pulled a gun on the chief." Jose says, only partially sarcastic.

"I want something that could really lead to positive results. No bloodshed, nobody gets in trouble."

"Well I guess I can't argue with that," Jose says reluctantly, "I'm going to call it a night, but I may talk to Jean in the morning."


	8. Chapter 8

**_SCENE XV: JOSE'S APARTMENT AT HQ; THE NEXT MORNING._**

After a long and sleepless night, Jose wakes up to a cold sweat. Composing himself, he comes to the conclusion that Henrietta can have a chance for a real future; something Enrica ( _younger sister who perished in the explosion_ ) never got. He picks up the phone and calls Jean. Jean immediately picks up.

"Jean Croce. What's your business?"

"It's me." Jose replies, "Listen, can I meet you for lunch today? There's something I gotta talk to you about."

"Sure. 2pm at Mama Gina's Grille. I may be late since I'm going over a job for an operation in Sicily at HQ."

"Wonderful. I'll see you there."

 ** _SCENE XVI: MAMA GINA'S GRILLE; 2:15PM._**

Jose was waiting outside the restaurant for the past 15 minutes as Jean arrives late.

"Must've been _some_ meeting." Jose says, shaking his head.

Jean gets serious, "This operation in Sicily could be the one we've been waiting for. Intelligence has come up with leads that indicate Padania has big operating cells in the area. They may call on all of Section 2 for this one."

"I reserved a table in the back. Let's sit."

 _The two brothers walk to the back of the restaurant, where an isolated table is waiting for them._

Jose stirs the glass of water in front of him as he opens up, "Lemme ask you something. Do you ever think of anything besides vengeance?"

"I keep my priorities at hand. You know that." Jean says, with his arms folded, "Two-thirds of your family being wiped out will do that to you. Tell me that not a day goes by you don't think about Enrica."

"Of course I think about her," Jose says, nodding his head, "but killing off every last Padania scum won't bring her back, you know"

Jean puts his hands in the air, "So that's what we're here to discuss? You had a moment of clarity and are looking to leave?"

"No….at least not the way you're thinking."

"We've gone too far to give up now." Jean slams a fist to the table, "We're this close to putting the factions out of commission for good."

"I know. And I know how strongly you feel about this too. Enrica was my sister too."

"So then what's the problem?" Jean gets angry, "Spit it out."

"It's the cyborgs. The more I see the side effects of the conditioning, the more I wonder if it's worth it."

Jean always gets annoyed when his brother loses focus; but he still relents, "It comes with the territory. You just have to learn to control your emotions, not to get to attached to your cyborg."

Jose was expecting Jean's cold response, "But Henrietta is so fragile. Sure on the outside she could hold her own in a fire fight, but on the inside she's as dependent as Enrica ever was. I know she's there to protect me, but I want to protect her too."

"Hmmmph...I see what you're saying now. You want a way out along with Henrietta." Jean replies, almost facetiously.

"Not just Henrietta." Jose catches the subtle sarcasm, "Rico, Claes, and the other cyborgs; they don't deserve this."

 _Jean puts his hands through his hair. He realizes this is no joke._

"Christ man, do you have any inkling at what you're saying? What about the other handlers?"

"They'll be on board." Jose decides to throw a curveball at Jean, "Just think for Rico's sake. I know she's just a tool to you, but is that the best way to honor Enrica?"

Jean realizes he's at wit's end, "I need a beer."

 _Jose orders a beer for each of them._

Jose looks at his brother in the eye, "I know this is a lot to process, it took me awhile too before I saw the light."

"So I take it you're not the ringleader then. Who is it? Allesandro?"

"Hilshire. Mario Bossi revealed Triela's past to her, and well you can probably figure out what happened next."

"That sonuvabitch," Jean sighs, "When did he get so close to Triela, anyway?"

"Last year when we sent Hilshire and her to get some new info from Bossi."

Jean shakes his head, looking down at the table, "I knew that piece of shit would be trouble. So he squealed to Triela when the team was protecting his daughter?"

"You got it." Jose goes for the reflective approach, "And don't forget how difficult it was to get Hilshire on board with us in the first place."

"Yeah, that's for sure." Says Jean, "It took some heavy convincing by all of us. Those first few weeks I was prepared for him to go all postal on us. Don't repeat this, but he could've used some conditioning himself."

Jose still sense the sarcasm, "So I take it you're not on board. Little Rico's as good as dead, and Claes will be a guinea pig until she collapses and is thrown away."

Jean waves his hands, "I didn't say I wasn't on board. I care about the cyborgs…girls if you will. It's just that if this new job slips away from us, we may never get a better chance to bring down Padania once and for all. I'm not a fan of the Agency any more than you are, but if it gives me the promise of closure, I'll ride the wave 'till the end."

"But there's a chance this can all end in failure. We could take out some of the Padania, but lose many good people too, including the girls. Are you really willing to take that risk?"

"There's always sacrifices that need to be made to achieve the most difficult goals."

Jose is frustrated by that remark, "Sacrifices. If the world knew that we're sacrificing adolescent girls to bring down the mob, they'd have our balls in a vice."

Jean signals to the waitress, "Check please," then turns his attention back to Jose, "On that note, I'm calling it a night. I expect to see you and the other handlers in conference room CA at 8am tomorrow morning."

Jose shakes his head, "You're hopeless. Have a good one, and send my regards to Rico."


	9. Chapter 9

**_SCENE XVII: CONFERENCE ROOM CA AT SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCY HEADQUARTERS; 8:15AM_**

All of Section I's handlers are in the room talking with each other. Allesandro finds out about the special meeting, and stands by the doorway to listen in on any news regarding the so-called "Pero" project. Jean walks in after about ten minutes go by.

"Hi all. I'm sorry I'm late." Says Jean, "I'm sure you've heard little tidbits here and there about what's going on lately. I want you to be aware of just how important this job is in Sicily. If it's successful, I have a feeling the Agency would be overwhelmingly appreciative, and I'm sure you can imagine what their gratitude can translate to."

"Sigh….the girls' lobotomy" Allesandro says under his breath; though it is heard through the silence.

Jean turns his head as he notices Allesandro by the door, "I don't remember inviting you to this meeting."

"I'm just an interested party, so don't mind me."

Jean concedes that it's not worth arguing over. He's determined to get back to the matter at hand, "I know what's been going down here behind closed doors. While I can't say I necessarily approve of it; I'm not going to outright condemn it per say. All of you have a connection with your cyborg. That's not the Agency's doing, that's your own. And while you may think Rico means about as much to me as this .44 Magnum, I want you to know I do care about her well-being. But the cyborgs weren't rescued and put back together again just because the Agency loves kids. They're here for a purpose. And when that purpose is resolved, well…fill in the blanks."

Hilshire chimes in, "What happens if there's no one left once the job is completed? Maybe the Agency will commemorate the cyborg with a fucking plaque in the main hall. I don't like this deal."

"Yeah, no shit." Allesandro agrees, "What else is the Agency famous for besides false promises?"

"I thought I told you that you don't belong here." Jean angrily replies, "If you want to stay, then SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"Hilshire made a good point though." Says Bernardo, "How can you even measure a successful mission if there's multiple casualties on our side?"

"It wouldn't be the first time we've had casualties from a mission." Jean responds; realizing immediately it's not something this crowd wants to hear.

Jose reminds him of the error, "Jean, you've gotta do better than that to convince them. All those other missions only resulted in one thing: more missions."

Jean tries to right himself, "If you don't trust the Agency, at least you trust me, right?"

 _(All the handlers, including Allesandro, nod their heads in agreement)_

"Then I'll put it this way: If we can bring down Padania once and for all in Sicily, you'll have one more handler on board your plan. The Agency knows my only grudge is with Padania. Once they're out of the picture, fuck everything."

"Then there's no alternative?" Hilshire inquires.

"None that you'll get from me." Jean says as he shakes his head, "You can try your little plan without me; I won't get in your way. But I get the feeling I'm an important cog to get it up and running. No matter what, Rico is with me until the end."

Hilshire turns to Jose and whispers, "No child left behind, indeed." He then turns his attention back to the panel, "I guess I could honestly say we've really no choice but to go through the mission. We're in it with you as long as you're in with us."

"Good." Says Jean, "In two days we go to Sicily. Each of you will be briefed on your roles within the next 24 hours. Dismissed."

As everyone walks out, Allesandro walks over to Jean, "If there's room, you can count me and Petra in. I know she's ready for it."

"Petrushka is a valuable second-gen cyborg. I'll have to talk with the chief."

"I'll be waiting."


	10. Chapter 10

**_SCENE XVIII - CHIEF'S OFFICE - EARLY AFTERNOON_**

Jean walks into the office after being summoned by the Chief.

"You wanted to see me chief?" Says Jean.

"How did everything go this morning?" Asks the Chief, "Will we be on tap for Sicily?"

"Everything's a go. In fact, Allesandro asked if he could bring Petrushka along."

The Chief is caught off guard, "I don't know. She's a second generation cyborg, and still considered a prototype. Do you think they can handle it?"

"I'm confident they can." Says Jean, "I've seen Petrushka in action, and know Allesandro's got a good head on his shoulders."

"Well as long as you're not talking about the one in his pants, I'm fine." The Chief replies, with a sly smirk on his face.

"Good. I'll have his Fratello up with Jose's and mine once we get to Sicily."

 ** _SCENE XIX-TARGET PRACTICE RANGE-2PM THE NEXT DAY_**

Each handler, including Allesandro have been briefed on their fratello's roles in the mission in Sicily. The cyborgs are shooting away while their handler look on.

Hilshire walks over to Jose. "I just have a bad feeling about all this. I trust your brother's word, but it may all be a moot point by the time we're finished in Sicily."

Jose: You just have to have faith in Triela. All of you (to the other handlers) should have faith with your cyborgs.

 ** _SCENE XX-HENRIETTA & RICO'S ROOM-9PM_**

All of the first generation cyborgs are together in the room. Henrietta begins to cry. Rico consorts her friend, "What's wrong Henrietta?"

"I was just thinking that this could be the last time that we're all together. All of you mean so much to me." Says Henrietta.

"Don't talk like that." Triela says, "We will take care of this mission, and we'll be together again very soon. I think things are looking up."

"I wish I had your confidence." Beatrice replies, "Bernardo's seemed awfully close to me the past few days. I have no idea how to take that."

"He cares about you." Says Triela, "I know all of our handlers care about us."

Claes looks up from the book she was reading, "That could be the conditioning talking, you know."

"No, I don't believe that's the case here." Says Triela, "Hilshire will always have a connection to me; regardless of the conditioning. And each of you have been in your Fratellos long enough that you have a connection too."

"Speak for yourselves." Says Claes, "But I don't mind not having a handler to report to. The SWA lets me do things that the other cyborgs weren't permitted to."

"Did you ever think there was something more to life than maintaining a garden around the facility and reading books?" Triela asks.

"That's the life that's been handed to me." Claes concedes, "I'd love to travel through Italy like the rest of you do on missions, but I have my role here at HQ. There's no other choice."

"What if there was?" Suggests Triela, "Hypothetically, what if you were all released from the SWA? Where would you go?"

"I would go to America." Says Claes, "If the pictures in my books don't lie, I've heard that New York is where it's at."

"I would visit Rome again with Jose." Smiles Henrietta, "That was my favorite place by far."

"I'd like to go to France." Says Beatrice, "I've never been there, and heard it's beautiful."

"I would go wherever Jean goes." Rico predictably replies.

"I'd tour through Europe." Triela says, and then smiles to Beatrice and Henrietta, "Maybe I'll meet you along the way"

"I would like that" says Henrietta, hugging her pillow and smiling.

Claes changes the tone somewhat seriously, "It all sounds well and good, but it's still a pipe dream."

"All right, I'm giving everyone a homework assignment." Says Triela, "I want you to go to bed and think about the places you'd like to go. Have a good dream, and clear your mind of sadness. Good night."

Beatrice, Triela, and Claes all retreat to their rooms.


	11. Chapter 11

**_SCENE XXI-CATANIA, SICILY-5PM_**

All of the Fratellos are at their assigned marks throughout the city. Jean and Rico are sharing a roof with Allesandro and Petrushka. Petrushka turns to her comrade at arms. "Are you ready for this, Rico?"

Before she could speak, Jean answers for her, "Of course she's ready. The question is, are you?"

"I am." Petrushka answers.

"Our target will be leaving the building very soon." Says Jean, "Keep your eyes focused on any conspicuous movement."

"I still don't get why we're staking out one target together when we could stake out another one on our own." suggests Allesandro.

"I gave the chief my word that I'd keep my eye out on Petrushka." insists Jean, "Besides, this target is no small task."

* * *

 _At a hotel a few buildings away, Henrietta and Triela are donning traditional Sicilian schoolgirl outfits._

Triela is looking up and down at her own outfit, with some humility, "It always feels weird wearing skirts like this. We never prepare for these things on the training grounds."

"You still look very nice, Triela." Henrietta reassures.

 _Triela smiles, picks Henrietta up and holds her in her arms._

"You look more than part than I do." says Triela, "Just promise me one thing, if you and Jean ever get stuck, please call out to me or Hilshire."

"I will, and you do the same if you're in trouble."

"Sure."

* * *

 _Bernardo and Beatrice are staking out at a nearby restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel._

"Can you see anything, Bea?" asks Bernado.

Beatrice shakes her head, "Nothing out of the ordinary; Just tourists."

"Yeah; Sicily's among the biggest tourist traps in all of Italy." says Bernardo, "They come from all over. I don't see what's so special about it."

"Claes once told me about the hills here." Beatrice says, "She even showed me some pictures in one of her books."

"I guess they're ok if you're into that sort of thing." says Bernardo, with somewhat of a bitterness to his voice, "A thousand years ago when I was somebody, I took a girl to Switzerland. Now that was something. Damned if I'd ever wind up there again."

"How come? Sounds like you enjoyed it."

"Brings back too many memories I'd rather forget."

"You mean when you were somebody?"

"Yeah" Bernardo says, shaking his head and staring off into the sky.

* * *

 _Jean's and Allesandro's fratellos are surveying the building across the street from their roof when Rico spots something._

"Jean, I see two men in suits over there on the phone." says Rico, "They keep looking over their shoulder."

 _Jean looks through his binoculars._

"That's Lucindo Vincelli and Horatio Cassanova. The hell are they doing here? Rico, look through the binoculars and try to make out what they're saying."

 _Rico takes Jean's binoculars and focuses on the lips of the two men._

"They're talking about an abandoned warehouse on the Via delle Arsenal." says Rico, "Names are being mentioned here, like Christiano and Giacomo."

"Fucking Padania scum." Jean angrily remarks, "The warehouse is not that far away from us. They must be planning a meeting there. It could very be their headquarters."

Allesandro turns to Jean, "So what do you want to do about it now?"

"We're gonna follow them." Jean replies, "Let's head down to the car. I'll call in to Jose and Bernardo to fill them in."

* * *

 _After getting the call from Jean, Bernardo turns around to spot the two men he described starting to walk away from the building. He leaves the cash for his lunch on the table and hides around the side of a nearby building with Bea at his side._

"Bea, go up to them and tell them you're lost. Ask them where the library is. You're loaded, right?"

"Yes sir. Am I taking them down?"

"No. At least, not unless you have to. We just want to stall them for now. Just be careful. I've got you covered."

 _Beatrice walks over to the men, pretending to be frightened and lost._

One of the men notices the young girl approaching him, "Beat it kid. Got no candy for ya."

"I'm sorry." Beatrice innocently says, "I was on my way to meet my friends at the library but I got lost. I have no idea where I am."

"How the fuck did you wind up here?" says the second man, "The library's on the other side of town."

"My dad dropped me off here." Beatrice says, "He wasn't happy with me cause I asked him for homework help while he was watching the football match."

The second man looks at the first man. Then looks down to Beatrice, "So you're all alone?"

"Yes sir."


	12. Chapter 12

_Jean's and Allesandro's Fratellos meet up with Bernardo, who's staked out at the corner of a building_

Jean turns to Allesandro, "How long have they been talking?"

"A few minutes"

 _Jean talks to Beatrice through a com-link in her ear_

"Keep him talking. I don't trust them. Something's fishy"

 _The first man has been talking for awhile_

"….so my dad was a drunk too." the first man continues, "Use to beat the shit out of me. Sonuvabitch died before my 15th birthday, so I never really never got even with him."

"My dad asked me if I wanted to taste his beer." Beatrice replied, "I didn't like it."

"Did he ever touch you?" the second man said.

"You mean like a hug?" asks Beatrice, "Maybe when I was little."

"He means touching you softly like this." says the first man, "You're a very cute girl"

 _He gently caresses her neck and rubs her chest. Bernardo sees this and is reaching his boiling point. He cocks his gun but at the sound of it, Jean puts his hand on it to have him put it away_

"Something tells me there's more to this than just a perverted fuck." suggests Jean, "If he makes a move on her now, we'll pop him."

"Let me go in." Petrushka volunteers, "I'll pretend to be her older sister"

"No dice." Allesandro insists, "You're staying right here."

Jean sees an opportunity here, "No, she's right. If this is what I think it is, when they see Petrushka, they'll kidnap the two of them"

"And that's a good thing?" Allesandro's beyond vexed at this point, "I'll take the motherfuckers out right now."

"You will do no such thing." Jean's authority is imminent, "We're gonna follow them."

 _The men are still talking with Beatrice when one of them looks up to see Petrushka_

The first man taps on the other's shoulder, "Christ, look at the cutie walking this way. This may be our lucky day."

Petrushka ignores the comment and looks down to Beatrice, "I've been looking all over for you, Bea. Mom's been worried sick."

The second man smiles, "You're sisters? Damn…just keeps getting better"

Beatrice continues to play along with the ruse, "Dad dropped me off around here when I wanted to go to the library." But I started talking to these nice men."

"You remember what mom said about talking to strangers" says Petrushka.

"We don't bite." the second man says to Petrushka, "Say Red, what's your name?"

"Cassie," Petrushka replies.

"That's a cute name." says the first man, "Got a boyfriend, Cassie?"

"Yeah, but Al went abroad to study."

"Awwe that's too bad. If it makes you comfortable, you can call me 'Al'." says the first man.

The second man laughs at the remark, 'Call me Al'…you're too funny."

 _The first man takes a cell phone out of his pocket and calls his driver to pick them up._

He turns to the girls, "I'll tell you what. We'll drop both of you off at the library."

"Gee, that's awfully nice of you, Mr." says Beatrice.

 _A black car with heavily shaded windows pulls up. Allesandro gets anxious_


	13. Chapter 13

_A black car with heavily shaded windows pulls up. Allesandro gets anxious_

"Jesus they're going to take them somewhere."

"All part of the plan." Jean reassures him.

"What plan?" Allesandro says, anxious now more than ever, "You knew that they'd get into a car?"

"I had a feeling." says Jean, "Beatrice has a tracking beacon on her."

"Where will they take her?"

"My guess is the factory."

"So they'll be hostages at the headquarters?"

Jean has a hunch, "I don't think this has anything to do with them being hostages. I'm calling Hilshire"

 _The first man takes Beatrice's backpack and puts it in the trunk. He sits in the back with the two girls, while the second man sits in the front with the driver. The car pulls away_

Jean calls Hilshire on the cell, "Change of plans. We're meeting at the factory. Something's come up."

"Why so soon?" asks Hilshire, "Thought we were doing that tomorrow."

"Beatrice and Petrushka have been kidnapped." Jean tells him, "I believe they're being taken there."

Hilshire is stunned, "You let them be kidnapped as hostages?"

"I don't think that's what they want the cyborgs for."

"Then what do they…Motherfuckers." Hilshire is confused, if only for a moment.

"You gotta stay focused here." demands Jean, "We're all in this together. Don't try to be a hero all by yourself."

 _Hilshire hangs up the phone abruptly_

"Goddamit" Jean says angrily.

Bernardo turns to him, "What happened?"

"Just get in the car." says Jean, still angry, "Everyone."

"What about Jose/Henrietta?" asks Bernardo.

"He's with Hilshire. Wherever they go, he'll go." Jean turns to Rico, "Rico, are you ready for this? Orders are shoot to kill""

"Yes sir" Rico answers.

"Christ, this is serious," Bernardo shakes his head.

"It ends tonight." says Jean.


	14. Chapter 14

_While in the car, the first man notices the driver staring at Petrushka's legs_

"Hey asshole, keep your eyes on the fucking road." he says.

"I get dibs first since I had to haul my ass out here." the driver replies.

"Like hell you do." says the first man, "No one touches the merchandise until the boss says so."

The second man smirks, "You mean until he plays with them first."

* * *

 _At the hotel, Triela and Henrietta are checking their firearms as Jose and Hilshire get ready_

"I don't like this." says Jose, "Just going in there with guns blazing. It could be hell for all of us."

"This is personal, pal." says Hilshire, "For me and you. For Triela. For your family. This ends tonight"

"And what if no one comes out alive? How can you face that risk?"

"Faith. In the end, that's all we have left."

 _When everyone is ready, they head downstairs to the underground garage of the hotel. Once in the car, Hilshire pulls away with tires screeching._

"You have the address of the factory, right?" asks Jose.

"It's already loaded in the GPS. Flip it on."

* * *

 _The darkened car with Beatrice and Petrushka pulls up to the entrance of the factory_

"This doesn't look like a library." says Beatrice.

"That's right." the first man says, "You're pretty smart for a youngster. We're stopping in here for some milk and cookies"

"You eat milk and cookies?" asks Petrushka.

"When we're good boys we do" says the first man.

 _The driver opens the trunk, and takes Beatrice's backpack from the trunk_

"I'll need that back." demands Beatrice.

"I'm just holding onto it for safe keeping; no need to worry." the driver reassures.

"Girls, please follow me" says the second man, as he leads Beatrice and Petrushka into the entrance of the factory and through its corridors. They come into an empty room with sharp instruments laid out on a table.

"What are those for?" Beatrice asks.

"For baking cookies." says the second man, "Wait here."

 _He walks out of the room and closes the door. The two girls could hear it being locked from the outside._

"Don't worry Bea," says Petrushka, "I know we'll see mommy and daddy soon."

* * *

 _In another room, the driver and a group of men are emptying the contents of Beatrice's backpack_

"What the hell is this doing here?" asks the driver.

 _He pulls out Beatrice's gun and shows it to everyone_

"Show and tell?" says the first man.

"This isn't the Hunger Games, pal. This is serious shit. And it's loaded too, look." says the second man, before he fires and makes a small hole in the wall.

"Damn. I'm liking this girl more and more." says the first man.

"Brilliant move, dick." says the driver, "Could blow our cover."

 _Giacomo Dante storms in the door_

"Ok, who's the fricken moron who fired the gun, and what's all the commotion here?" he says.

"Those kids that we picked up at the corner a few hours ago. The little one had a fucking hand cannon in her backpack." says the first man.

"So instead of asking them what it was doing there, you just fired it off randomly like an asshole?" says an angry Giancomo.

"I'm sorry boss." says the second man, "Should we get them ready or hold off?"

"Priorities first, gentleman." says Giacomo, "We're making the ultimate move towards a new Italy tomorrow, and I want to make sure everything's in order."

"The C4 is on its way," says the second man, "and the truck is all gassed up."

"Good. Not long now." says Giacomo.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hilshire parks his car behind Jean's, a few blocks away from the warehouse. Triela and Henrietta are still dressed in school uniforms. Each is carrying a small loaded pistol behind their back._

Jean gives the directions, "The two of you will try to gain access in the front. Once they open the door and she has a clear shot, Rico will take out whomever's standing there. That's when we make our move in."

 _Rico sets up her sniper rifle on the roof of a building across the street._

"I don't like this." says Hilshire as he exits the car, "What if they use Petrushka and Beatrice as hostages once we get inside?"

"You've all taught us well enough to fend for ourselves." says Triela, "Am I right?" _She says winking at Henrietta._

"That's right." Henrietta agrees.

"Just try not to be heroes in there all by yourselves." Hilshire tells them, "The cavalry will be right behind you." _He walks over and puts his arms around both of them._

"Good luck." says Jean.

 _As they walk towards the entrance, Triela puts her arm around Henrietta. A man inside opens the door._

"What's this?" says the third man, "Ain't you girls a tad far from school?"

"Jessie and I snuck out during Mrs. Pavlov's biology class." Triela says to him, "We spent the day wandering around town and thought this place was abandoned."

"Well it is, so beat it." demands the third man, "Go find some other place to play."

 _The second man comes over from inside the warehouse as he listens to the commotion._

"Hey let's not get too hasty here." says the second man, "There's plenty of milk and cook…." _suddenly a shot is heard from the distance, and the second man is struck dead from a bullet to the head._

"The fuck?" the third man says in confusion.

 _A second shot strikes the third man when he sticks his head out to investigate further. Henrietta and Triela storm in with pistols in hand. As more men come storming towards the entrance, Rico covers fire while Jean, Jose, Bernardo, Hilshire, and Allesandro come in from all sides._

"Triela, find the others!" shouts Jean.

* * *

 _Deep inside the warehouse, the Giacomo is alerted of what's been going on in the front. He sends two of his associates to check up on Beatrice and Petrushka; still locked in the room. The first man opens the door of the room._

"Do you two know about..." says the first man. _He looks and can't see the two girls. Petrushka sneaks up from behind and snaps his neck. The second man comes in to see the first man lying dead on the ground. Before he could open his mouth, Beatrice emerges from under a table and punches him so hard in the temple he loses consciousness immediately. Both cyborgs grab the weapons of their captors and leave the room._

* * *

 _The gun battle from the front entrance of the warehouse gradually makes its way inside. The Fratellos are advancing on their targets, and the Padania are retreating inward._

Hilshire speaks into his comlink, "Triela, have you located the others?"

" Not yet…hold on….." answers Triela into the comlink.

 _Triela hears murmurs coming from a distant room. She kicks the door open, but doesn't see anything. Suddenly, the cries she heard emerge from a room beneath her feet._

"I think I found something, Hilshire." Triela says, again into her comlink, "It sounds like they're children below me. I don't know how I can get to them." _Henrietta goes to the other side of the room where the children's voices have been coming from. Suddenly the driver emerges from behind and grabs Triela in a tight hold._

"Let me go you sick bastard." says Triela, "These kids don't deserve this."

"Not a chance, girlie." says the driver, "I'm phoning the boss and you'll be thrown in with them when we're through with…." _three shots are fired into the side of the driver's forehead, killing him instantly. Beatrice places her weapon on the ground and puts her arm on Triela._

"Are you all right?" says Beatrice.

"I'm fine." says Triela, "I need your help. We have to get the kids below out somehow."

"Ok"

"Anything I can do to help?" asks Petrushka.

"Cover us." says Triela.

 _Beatrice joins Henrietta at the other side of the room. They tap the floor for any loose or hollow panels. Beatrice finds a loose board and signals that they might have found it._

Jean calls in on the comlink, "Triela, what is your status? It's getting crazy in here. Have you found the others?"

"They're here with Petrushka, Henrietta, and I." answers Triela in the com, "Tell Hilshire we've found the children."


	16. Chapter 16

_Upon listening in on the comlink with Jean, Hilshire stands up from a crouching position and cocks his gun_

Jean turns to Hilshire, "Where the fuck are you going? Stand down! That's an order!"

"Not a chance." says Hilshire, "You have your objectives, I have mine. Petrushka is with them. If I can get through to them, I'll send her and the other cyborgs back for reinforcement."

 _Without another word, Hilshire runs towards the back wing of the warehouse; as he gets cover fire from the remaining agents and Rico. He finds his way through to an unguarded corridor._

* * *

 _As Triela and Beatrice are lifting the plank up, Petrushka and Henrietta hear voices coming from somewhere in the hallway._

"Someone's coming" says Henrietta.

 _The hall light is suddenly shut off, and shots are fired towards the room. Petrushka covers Henrietta and opens fire. She can't see anything but presumes she hit the intruder as the random shots have stopped. As she walks slowly out the door to investigate, a single shot is fired through her left eye, killing her instantly._

"Petrushka!" shouts Henrietta.

 _Nearly 40 feet away down the corridor, Hilshire hears Henrietta's cry and starts to run towards her. As he's running, he hears footsteps walking away from him in the darkened corridor. Two shots are fired in his direction, one striking his right shoulder. He fires back in the direction and the hidden assailant is struck in the leg._

"Someone is there in the corridor." says Henrietta, "Can you hear me?"

"It's me." says Hilshire, "Are you girl's ok?"

"They got Petrushka." says Henrietta, "Triela and Beatrice are getting the children out of the basement. Please tell Allesandro that Petrushka died protecting all of us."

 _Hilshire walks towards the room and is tackled by the assailant on the floor. Seeing the struggle through the dim light of the room, Henrietta runs over and grabs both arms of the assailant and holds them behind his back._

 _In the main room, Jean and the others notice most of the Padania shooters are moving towards a specific area in the back of the facility. He realizes they must be on to the cyborgs._

Jean calls in through the comlink, "Hilshire, what is your status there? Have you located the cyborgs?"

Hilshire answers through the com, "That's affirmative. We were under some localized resistance, but it's under control. But there was a casualty. Petrushka is terminated."

 _Hearing this, Jean punches his fist into the wall. He looks up at Allesandro, and shakes his head._

 _Tears stream down Allesandro's face, as his emotions get the better of him, "_ Don't fuck with me now. Don't you dare fuck with me."

"She's gone." Jean says to him.

"Fucking Assholes!" Allesandro shouts.

 _Without hesitation he barrels his way through the corridor, firing randomly towards the Padania. He kills several along the way. Suddenly, a hail of bullets rains down from above him and he collapses._

Jean turns to his brother, "Goddamit. This is the worst mess we've ever gotten ourselves into."

"It's not over yet." says Jose.


	17. Chapter 17

_Rico scales a nearby ladder and fires on the assailants who brought down Allesandro. She runs on the catwalk towards the back of the main room and fires on the Padania._

 _Inside the room, Triela and Beatrice have helped rescue the five girls and one boy from the basement. Hilshire and Henrietta are by the door as they hear the comlink go off from their prisoner._

 _A voice comes through the comlink, "Donnie can you hear me? We're on our way. Reinforcements are coming in from the North."_

"How many are on their way?" demands Hilshire, "Answer me!"

"I don't have to listen to you, shithead." says Donnie, "You and your freaks are as good as dead."

 _Hilshire nods his head to Henrietta, who promptly snaps Donnie's neck._

 _They hear footsteps running towards them, and they shut the door behind them and hold it there. Triela and Beatrice stand guard to protect the children._

* * *

 _On the other side of the corridor, Jean, Jose, Bernardo and Rico see that they're getting closer to the Padania shooters. As they approach the door of a room where a group has gathered, they open fire. In the ensuing gun battle, Bernardo is struck in the leg and can't go on._

"Just leave me." Bernardo says to Jose, "Tell Bea that I'm sorry for getting her messed up with this shit."

"We'll see to it that she gets out of here." says Jose, "You're a good man, Bernie." He turns to Jean, "I think we should call in reinforcements."

"Section 1 is not going to like this." says Jean, "It's better off I call in the Italian Swat team."

"You're not afraid of the exposure?" says Jose.

"Two late for that now. Anyway, these girls have certainly earned the Agency's respect, and then some."

 _Suddenly they hear windows shattering in a nearby room and they take cover as more Padania agents approach. Jean takes out his cellphone and calls the police._

"This is agent Jean Croce of the SWA requesting SWAT at warehouse for Padania holdout. Kidnapped children located and need assistance."

* * *

 _With the loud noises of the gunfire getting closer, the scared children in the room begin to cry._

Triela turns to her handler, "Hilshire, I don't know how much longer this can go on. There's nowhere for us to go."

"The others are on their way." says Hilshire, "You gotta believe they'll make it."

 _Jean's team moves forward towards the room as more Padania fall. Rico is keeping their reinforcements at bay as they approach from the other direction. Jose spots two men trying to push a door open and shoots them both in the head. From inside the room, Henrietta hears the men fall and smiles._

"They must be close." says Henrietta.

 _With the Padania in front of them all but eliminated, Jean and Jose approach the door._

 _All of a sudden, two smoke canisters are thrown in their direction and they move further down the corridor for clearance. Rico is blinded in the smoke, and leans against the wall for balance._

Rico calls through to Jean by comlink, ""I cannot go on. Smoke is everywhere."

 _On hearing this, Jean turns around and is about to run to her when Jose holds him back._

"There's nothing more you can do for her." please Jose, "Don't waste your life. She's defending all of us."

"Get your damn hands off me." says Jean, "Rico is my responsibility."

"What about your revenge? Justice for our family?"

"This is part of it."

"Good luck."


	18. Chapter 18

_Jose lets Jean go, and he scales the corridor with his hands feeling the walls searching for Rico. As he's moving beyond the room with the children and remaining cyborgs, he trips over a small object and falls to the ground. Only when he feels the object does he realize it's the lifeless body of Rico. Jean sits down next to it, and cradles her head in his arms. He shoots blankly into the void as he hears approaching footsteps. Giacomo, whom he recognizes instantly, walks in front of him shaking his head._

Giacomo: You people think you're better than we are? This is what it comes to.

 _Jean is shot in the head_

 _Jose tries calling his brother after hearing the latest gunshots._

"Jean! Jean! Where are you?" he says through the comlink, "Have you reached Rico? Jean!"

 _With no response, he heads back towards the room with Hilshire, knocking on the door._

"Get the fuck out of here!" shouts Hilshire.

"It's me." responds Jose, "The rest of the team has been compromised. I'm the only one left."

 _Beatrice looks up from where she is with the children._

"Bernardo?" asks Beatrice, "What about him?"

 _Hilshire opens the door to briefly let Jose in, then shuts it tightly. Beatrice runs up to Jose._

"Where is Bernardo?" she asks.

"He's gone." says Jose, "He wanted us to tell you he's sorry."

"For what?"

"For putting you through this." he turns to the acknowledge the remaining cyborgs, "You deserve better; all of you do."

 _Henrietta runs over and hugs Jose. Triela and Hilshire nod at each other._

"What do I do without Bernardo?" asks a disheartened Beatrice, "I'm useless."

"Don't you dare say that." Hilshire demands, "You're a person; not a fucking tool born out of a laboratory experiment. Bernie wanted that for you."

"Do you think he was proud of me?"

"You bet your ass he was."

"Thank you." _She puts her head down between her legs_

"You're not alone." Triela reassures her, "We're in this together." _Triela walks over and puts her arm around Beatrice._

 _Suddenly there is shouting coming from outside the door_

"Open the goddamn door or we'll blow it open!" shouts Giacomo.

Hilshire shouts back to him, "Go to hell. There are children in here."

"Children, huh? Is that what you call these brats with guns?"

"Our cyborgs are trained to fight." says Hilshire, "I was referring to the kidnapped children"

"That's none of your concern." Giacomo replies, "There's nowhere to go. Maybe we can work out a deal like civilized men."

"No deals." says Jose, "We're here until these kids go free."

"Suit yourself." says Giacomo, then turning to his associate, "Lucciano, go get the grenades."

 _Hearing this, Triela and Beatrice help the children back down the basement room below. Henrietta, Hilshire and Jose stand a few meters away from the door, with their guns drawn._

 _Two minutes go by, when the uncomfortable silence is broken by the sound of an object just thrown on the ground by the door._

 **BOOM!**


	19. Chapter 19

_The door is completely blown off its hinges. Jose, Hilshire, and Henrietta hide behind an upended table for cover, and fire into the opened corridor._

"Hold your fire!" shouts Giacomo.

 _The Padania cease their shooting. Jose and Hilshire follow suit, and signal Henrietta to do the same._

"So you people picked up that Croce asshole?" says Giacomo, "I should've known he'd be in on it."

 _Jose looks at Hilshire with disgust_

"He must've recognized Jean from the news when our family was murdered." Says Jose.

"Don't let him get to you." suggests Hilshire, "It's probably a good idea not to tell him you're his brother."

"Fuck that." says Jose, "Jean and Rico died for the cause. This shithead can't bother me."

He shouts out to the hallway, "Jean was my brother! You scum killed the rest of our family, including our little sister."

"No shit." says Giacomo, "A family reunion we've got here. Your father got just what he deserved"

"Any beef you had with my father had nothing to do with us; much less our sister."

"Think of it as salvation, pal. If the little brat wasn't killed by us immediately, odds are she'd have wound up with those kids you think you're protecting down there."

 _Henrietta grabs Jose's arm_

"He doesn't mean it." she says to him, "If you're sister were alive, I'd like to think that we'd be friends."

 _Jose kisses the top of her head_

"You have more heart than any of the bastards out there." he says to her, "They'd blow up their own families just to make a statement."

"So we're all waiting out here." says an angered Giacomo, "What's it going to be? Let's talk."

"I've already said no deal." says Hilshire, "You're not getting these kids."

"Maybe you're having a difficult time grasping the situation here. There's no way out." says Giacomo.

 _Giacomo sends two men to the door_

"We're not going to fire, so don't shoot." he says.

 _Jose sees the men approach from in front of the door, with their hands in the air_

"Stay outside or you're dead." shouts Jose, "I don't give a flying fuck if you're unarmed."

 _All of a sudden they hear windows breaking in nearby rooms. Gunfire follows from within the hallways. Jose turns to Hilshire._

"The cavalry's arrived." says Jose.

 _The Padania have no choice but to attempt to break through into the room. Jose, Hilshire, and Henrietta open fire; killing five Padania immediately. Armed with a bulletproof vest, Giacomo makes his way through and threatens to pull the pin off a grenade he's holding over the basement room with the children._

"Lay down your guns or I throw it in." demands Giacomo, "We all make sacrifices."

 _All of a sudden, a voice is heard on a megaphone._

"This is the SPD (Sicily Police Department). Lower your weapons or we have no choice but to open fire."

Giacomo turns to his associates, "I'll be damned if you think I'm getting arrested now." He shouts to the police, "If you come in, I'll blow us all up."

 _Hilshire instinctively reaches to shut the basement panel, and winks at Triela, who had been hovering over the children all along._

"Don't be foolish, maybe we could work something out." says the officer through the megaphone.

"No dice." says Giacomo, "I've heard that one before."

 _Jose signals Henritta to drop to the floor as he watches Giacomo pull the pin from the grenade. He puts his body on her, and Hilshire falls on top._

 **BOOM!**


	20. Chapter 20

_The Padania inside the room are killed instantly. Shrapnel from the explosion fly all across the room. Hilshire is lying dead in a pool of blood; shrapnel penetrated through his back with such force that it passed through his heart to the other side. Jose is bleeding from a severe head wound. Henrietta regains her composure and comes to his aid._

"Stay with me." she says to Jose, "We'll be rescued soon."

"Leave me be." he says, "Go help the other girls and the children. I'm a goner."

Henrietta can't fight back the tears any longer, "I can't live without you, Jose!"

"You have your own life." he says, "Live it with fulfillment."

 _As she cradles his head in her lap, she cannot stop crying. Jose knows what Henrietta is thinking. He takes out his pistol and Henrietta takes hers out. They both point at each other's temple, and pull the trigger._

 _Triela and Beatrice remain below, with the hatch to the basement still closed._

"Hello! Can anyone hear us?" shouts Triela, "Hilshire? Jose? Henrietta? Anybody?"

 _Within the silence, they hear gunfire from the distance. In the hallways of the building, what was left of the Padania reinforcements are in a last valiant effort firing on the SPD._

Triela turns to Beatrice, "I'm going to take a look."

"Let me go." says Beatrice, "You stay with the kids. You were always like a big sister to us anyway."

 _Triela gives Beatrice a hug, and Beatrice forces the hatch of the basement open and climbs to the room above. As she surveys the area, she notices the bodies of Jose, Henrietta, and Hilshire lying motionless nearby._

Beatrice looks down to Triela in the bunker, "Everyone is gone. It's only us now."

 _Triela, realizing the extent of the situation, begins to cry. One of the little girls comes over and grabs her hand._

 _Beatrice grabs her gun as she hears gunfire getting closer. BLAM BLAM….two shots are fired from within the room. On his last breath, a mortally wounded Padania fighter on the ground shot the only thing moving in the room within his line of sight. The bullets past through Beatrice's abdomen, killing her instantly._

 _Triela reacts immediately to the gunfire from above._

"Bea!" She shouts, "What's going on up there?"


	21. Chapter 21

_Several minutes of uncomfortable silence pass as Triela decides to go upstairs to investigate. Inside the room, she feels for a pulse on Beatrice but there is none. The gunfire that she heard from the hallway had ceased. She feels alone, until she hears footsteps from the hallway coming towards her. It is the SPD. As she drops her weapon to the ground, a single shot rang out that went straight through her right thigh. She collapses to the ground, as a barrage of bullets springs out towards the area of where the shot came from. The mortally wounded Padania is riddled with bullets. The head SPD officer goes to help Triela up._

"Are you all right?" he asks Triela, "Is anyone else with you here?"

"Don't worry about me." she says, "The children are downstairs."

 _Ten armed officers go downstairs to find the six children huddled together. The officers carry the children upstairs. As the last little girl is carried out of the room, she waves good-bye to Triela. Seeing this, the officer turns to Triela._

"You know that you're a G-ddammned hero, right?" he says.

"I was just following orders, sir." she replies.

"Yeah, right." he says. He speaks into his headset, "I want a med-vac here, and STAT." He turns back to Triela, "You hang with me, there, ok? We'll get you patched up and doing cartwheels in no time."

"Thank you."

 _Ten minutes later, the EMT arrives and places Triela on a stretcher. Before they can take her out of the room, she asks them to place her near Hilshire's body. She brushes her bangs from her face and kisses the top of his forehead._

"I'll never forget you." she whispers to his still, lifeless body.

 _The EMT rush her into the ambulance, with policeman lining up in salute. As the vehicle pulls away, a dozen police motorcycles escort it to the hospital, with sirens wailing._

* * *

 ** _SCENE XXII: HOSPITAL ROOM; THE NEXT MORNING._**

Triela wakes up from a medically-induced coma on her hospital bed. She sees Marco sleeping in a chair in a corner of the room. Her fidgeting wakes him up.

"Ah there you are kiddo." says Marco.

"How long was I out?"

"Probably a good 20 hours or so. They took good care of you here. Look."

 _She pulls the sheets from her bed to see her leg stitched up where the bullet had been removed._

"That's great." says Triela, "So where do we go from here?"

"You're not going anywhere until the doctors release you. A lot of shit went on yesterday, and they're not taking any chances."

"I can't believe they're all gone." says a somber Triela, "I can't believe I'll never see Hilshire again."

"Try not to think about it."

Suddenly Triela is concerned, "What if there's more Padania out there and they come for me? I don't wanna put the innocent patients here at risk."

"I'd like to see them try." Marco reassures her, "You're actions yesterday saving those children made you some friends in pretty high places. There are armed guards surrounding the building 24/7. The U.S. immediately sent over a fleet of drones to survey miles around the hospital, and Israel sent a group of Mossad agents to finish off whatever's left of Padania."

"What about the Agency?"

"I haven't got a clue as of yet. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough"

"What about Claes? She's one of us too."

"Oh her?" Marco says with a smile, "She's just been standing guard outside your room since you came back from surgery. As if I'd let some dickless cop watch over your room. I needed someone I can trust. I'll get her."

 _He opens the door, and after seeing Triela sitting up on the bed, Claes runs over to hug her._

"It's good to see you awake." says Claes, "I was worried."

"I'm glad you're here." says Triela.

 _As Claes and Triela reminisce on all that had gone on since they last saw each other, Marco walks out of the room and stands guard, closing the door behind him._

 _Several hours pass when the door opens again_

"Looks like there's a few people that want to meet you." says Marco.

 _The six children she was protecting from the Padania run in and surround her bed. The little girl who waved to her stands at the front of the bed, brushing Triela's hair._

"We're happy that you're getting better." says the little girl.

 _The children's caretaker, who followed in from behind, walks over to Triela._

"I can't begin to thank you enough for what you've done." says the Caretaker, "These children owe you their lives. If you're ever in a pickle, please give me a call. I've got connections."

"I can assure you she'd covered in that department." says Marco.

"Well you can still call me whenever you're in Sicily. We'll have lunch." says the Caretaker.

"Thank you" says Triela.

"No; thank you" says the Caretaker.

 _As the children leave, Triela turns to Claes_

"I think I'm going to take a little nap." she says.

"I'll stay here." says Claes.

 _Claes sits on the corner chair of the room and reads her book on European Architecture o f the 19_ _th_ _Century._

 _The next morning, Marco opens the door and walks towards Claes._

Marco whispers to Claes, "I have to leave for a few hours. The Chief at HQ needs me down there. Are you ok holding the fort?"

"No one will get in besides the doctors." whispers Claes, "I'll make sure of it."

"Good. I'll see you in the afternoon."


	22. Chapter 22

**_SCENE XXIV: SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCY HQ; EVENING._**

Marco sits down in the Chief's office, waiting for his briefing.

"Thanks for coming here." says the Chief, "I'll get right to the point. We're in a bit of a pickle regarding the Triela situation and the Agency."

"The hell is the situation?" asks an angry Marco, "She's getting the best care and she's damned well earned it."

"That's not the issue." says the Chief, "The notion of making public all we did here won't sit well in the mainstream. We've gotta cover our asses."

"It's too late to keep what Triela went through a secret. The world knows."

"But they don't know about us, yet. It may be our best interest if it stays that way."

"Ok; I don't have a fucking clue what the hell you're talking about."

"They can't have this traced back to the Agency. The government is putting together a plan to make it look as if they trained a few girls on their own since birth. It's plausible deniability on the Agency's existence."

"What about Claes? What about the remaining cyborgs at HQ?"

"The cyborgs are to be adopted out to families, their memories erased through conditioning. I'm not sure about Claes for the moment."

"Leave Cleas and Triela alone. I'll put a fuckin hole in your head if you mention the word "conditioning" and their names in the same sentence."

"Then they're your responsibility. If they're not going to be adopted out like the other cyborgs, they'll be put under your wing for the rest of your life. At your age, are you ready for that commitment?"

"More conditioning is a death sentence for them, and I won't have it. I'm gonna see to it that both these girls have long, fulfilling lives."

"You're a good man, Charlie Brown"

 _Marco gives the Chief the middle finger_

"You'll find all of their medical files in that drawer. Take them out and keep them safe."

 _Marco opens the drawer and retrieves the folders marked "Triela" and "Claes"_

"Your record has been wiped clean." says the Chief, "As of this moment, you're on your own. Good luck."

 _The Chief reaches his hand out and shakes Marco's._


	23. Chapter 23

**_SCENE XXV: THE HOSPITAL; NEXT MORNING._**

After having locked Triela and Claes' files in a safe at his apartment, Marco walks into the room to see Claes chatting with Triela.

"So how did it go?" asks Triela.

"I've obtained both of your files." says Claes, "We're all on our own now. I made clear that you won't be conditioned anymore."

"What about the remaining cyborgs at HQ?" asks Claes.

Marco shakes his head, "They weren't so lucky. All of them were placed for adoption, but were thoroughly conditioned in advance."

"At least they'll be in good hands." says Triela.

Suddenly a teenage female's voice comes from outside the room, "And you won't be?"

 _Mario Bossi and his daughter walk in. Maria Machiavelli runs over and hugs Triela tightly._

"How the hell did you get inside here?" asks Marco, "I'm going to have a talk with security."

"Don't bother." says Mario, "They don't know I'm here. I have my ways, you know."

"And your daughter?" says Marco, "Bringing her into this life of cloak and dagger nonsense?"

"Mimi's a chip off the old block." says Mario, "Besides, when I told her I was going to see Triela, she threatened to disown me if I didn't bring her along."

Maria smiles, giving Triela a tight squeeze, "Hey, this is my girl over here. When I saw what happened on the news, I was ready to go to the hospital alone. My dad told me they wouldn't let me in though. I know he has his ways."

Mario turns to Marco, "So what's your next move?"

"I gotta get the girls some formal ID." says Marco, "If they wanna go places, they'll need credentials."

"Let me take care of that." says Mario, "My pal Luigi can get you all you need within a week. The shithead owes me anyway."

"I want the documents clean though." says Marco, "We don't need Interpol getting involved."

"Luigi used to work for immigration." says Mario, "He knows the ins and outs of how to get what you need; both quickly and legitimately."

"Good to know." says Marco.

Maria turns to Claes, "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Maria Machiavelli. Are you the Yin to Triela's Yang?"

"Far from it." says Claes, "My name's Claes. I've been out of the picture for quite some time, but in a way I've never really left."

"I wouldn't be myself without Claes." says Triela, "My roomie for most of the time I was at the agency."

"I'm gonna head out to take care of some things." says Mario, "Maria, call me when you're ready to go."

"Ok pops, but don't wait too long for me." says Maria, "I could take a cab if I need to."

Marco turns to Mario, "Where are you headed? Got time for a drink?"

"I was gonna clear some things up in Sicily." says Mario, "But there's always time for a drink. You pick the watering hole."

"Will you girls be all right?" asks Marco, "I'll summon an armed guard to wait outside the door in the meantime."

"We'll be fine." says Claes, "I'll stand by the door here."

"I won't be out too long." says Marco.


	24. Chapter 24

**_SCENE XXVI: LOCAL BAR JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THE HOSPITAL._**

Marco and Mario sit down together and each order a pint of Italian beer.

"So what's the deal?" asks Mario, "I know it's not like you guys at the agency to have a 'guys night out' without some kind of agenda; and I barely even know you."

"You're very perceptive." says Marco, "The truth is I really don't know what the fuck we're going to do now. I gave my word to the Chief that I'll be protecting these girls; but look at me. Who am I to tell them what to tell them what to do?"

"They're still kids.?" says Mario, "They need guidance. Someone to show them the ropes; beyond what the Agency had ever taught them. Trust me as the father of a teenager, a girl needs a father figure. Whether it's to beat the shit out of a boyfriend who treated her harshly, escorting her to the prom, or tolerating the monthly credit card overcharges, he'll be there for her."

"I want to be there for them; but I know nothing about raising kids." says Marco.

 _A blonde woman with long pigtails covered by a red beret approaches the bar where Marco and Mario are sitting._

"I couldn't help but overhear the sexist conversation going on here." says the mysterious woman, "What does a girl need to do to gain her independence? You men are something else."

"Beat it, sweetheart." says Mario, "This isn't the time or place for the liberal agenda. Marco here's had more than enough to deal with political extremists to last a lifetime."

"Marco Toni?" she says, "An agent of Section 2 of the Social Welfare Agency? What a small world indeed!"

"You've done your homework." says Marco, "Ok, I give up. Who are you and what do you want from me?"

"The name's Cammy White." she says, "I'm with Delta Red, the British Para…"

Marco immediately interrupts her, "British Paramilitary outfit. I know _of_ you people, but what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to recruit." says Cammy, "And I'm NOT taking no for an answer."

"What do we get in return if we come along with you?" says Mario, "Besides your company, which may or may not be enough?"

"Who was talking about you two?" smirks Cammy, "If Delta Red was in the business of recruiting out-of-shape 40 year old has-beens, we'd have disbanded years ago."

"The girls aren't going with you." demands Marco, "I've been through too much to hand them over to some foreign government."

"What part of 'not taking no for an answer' don't you understand?" says Cammy, "I have the papers."

"Did the Chief talk to you?" says Marco, "What papers? What are you talking about?"

"The Social Welfare organization no longer exists." says Cammy, "Your Chief has just as much jurisdiction over the welfare of the girls as that man over there (she points to a lone man resting his head on the table in front of him with his eyes closed)."

 _Mario's cell phone rings. He talks on the phone for several minutes before hanging up._

"Time for me to go." says Mario, "It was very nice to meet you, cutie. Marco, I'll be in touch."

"You're really going to leave me alone with her?" says Marco.

"I don't bite, cowboy." smiles Cammy.

Marico can't help but grin, "You two already seem to get along like a true married couple. I won't get in the way."

 _Mario leaves the bar alone, Cammy takes his seat next to Marco_

"I'm not the bad guy." says Cammy, "What do you think we'll do with these girls?"

"I don't care what you _THINK_ you're going to do with the girls." Marco angrily remarks, "It's not happening. Find someone else to do your dirty work."

"I'm going to buy you one more drink, and go back with you to the hospital." says Cammy, "You won't be getting rid of me that easily."

"You know my weakness." says Marco, "Fine. So tell me your story. You seem to know everything about me."

"You're on a need-to-know basis." she says, "Whatever information I disclose will be in the present company of my new recruits."

Marco chugs the rest of his beer, "I can't win with you. Let's go."

 _Cammy hails a cab and she gets in with Marco. They're dropped off at the hospital, and Marco gives his clearance for her to go up to Triela's room._


	25. Chapter 25

_**SCENE XXVII: TRIELA'S HOSPITAL ROOM.**_

Maria Machiavelli had since left with Mario. Claes is sitting on a chair by the door while Triela is sitting up and staring out the window. Cammy walks in with Marco.

"Hey there honey. I like those pigtails." says Cammy, addressing Triela.

"Um Marco, who is this?" Triela says confused, "You know it's not a good idea to bring up some strange woman you picked up at the bar with Mario."

 _As Cammy reaches in her pants pocket, Claes grabs her arm in an attempt to keep her from taking out a weapon. Cammy smiles, and flips Claes to the ground; and she's taken off-guard by the stranger's reflexes._

"Relax, sweetie." says Cammy, "I'm not here to fight you."

 _Cammy takes a business card from her pocket and hands it to Triela._

"It says you're 'Cammy White' of something called the "Delta Red" in the UK." says Triela, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to recruit you." says Cammy, "You, and your feisty little friend here."

"Marco hasn't told you that we're not in the killing business anymore?" Claes says, after catching her breath.

"He did bring that up; although it really means nothing to me."

"Do you mean to say we don't have a choice?" says Triela, "What if we really didn't want to join you?"

"It's non-negotiable." says Cammy.

"Spill your guts, Cammy." interrupts Marco, "You promised me you'd tell me your story in the presence of the girls. Well there they are. There must be some reason why you sought out these girls on your own. I don't think it has anything to do with your Delta Red or the British government as a whole getting involved."

"Under normal circumstances, I keep my background classified." says Cammy, "My documents are sealed in a vault that would make the guards at America's Fort Knox shit their pants. But you're a special case. All of you are. I wouldn't be talking at all with you if I hadn't confirmed that this hospital room has been completely debugged."

"Gee, that's reassuring." says Claes.

"You girls have experience with brainwashing." says Cammy, "I know this from accessing the files of the Social Welfare agency. I believe they called it, "conditioning", yes?"

"Yeah that's correct." says Marco, "What of it? I've already told the Chief, who you said has 'no jurisdiction' that I'd put a hole in his head if he mentioned that word in the same sentence as the girl's names."

"Not before I would." says Cammy, "I have personal experience with brainwashing, and wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy; let alone these two innocent girls."

"I don't get it." says Marco, "You're going to recruit these girls to go after some more political terrorists and not rely on brainwashing?"

Cammy smirks at the comment, "I'm going to do things the old fashioned way. I'm going to train them. Delta Red Style. But please let me finish with my story."

"Please continue" suggests Triela.

"I was only 19 when I entered a tournament for fighters around the world called 'Street Fighter'. I needed to find out about my past, which was cloudy at that point. It was there that I learned I had been a brainwashed assassin for the Shadaloo organization. Killing people with no remorse. That was the name of my game. I'm sure you girls know what I'm talking about."

 _Both Triela and Claes nod their heads._

Cammy continues, "It was at the tournament where I met an Interpol agent who also joined for personal reasons, Chun-Li. Chun-Li recognized me as the assassin who killed her father, the Chief of Interpol at the time. I was literally at her mercy; but she chose to forgive me in exchange for working with her to bring down Shadoloo. I will be in her debt forever."

"So you work with Interpol as well as Delta Red?" asks Marco, "Christ, this shit keeps getting better all the time."

"Delta Red is now a subordinate of Interpol." says Cammy, "We're among the agencies that do their dirty work while those calling the shots keep their hands clean."

"So what is it you get out of all this?" asks Marco.

"Redemption." Cammy says with a smile, "And the pay's not bad."

"It's not these girls that need the redeeming; it's the talking heads of the Agency who put them up to it." says Marco, "Them, and assholes like me who went along with it. St. Peter won't be waiting for me at the Pearly Gates when my time's up."

"You're not as bad as you think you are." says Cammy, "I admire that fellows like you took the girls under your wing. You called them, Fratellos, right?"

 _Triela puts her hands over her head as she thinks about Hilshire._

"Did I say something wrong?" asks Cammy, "I'm sorry if I stepped out of bounds."

"No, it's ok." says Triela, "Just thinking about my handler. He saved my life, you know."

"Victor Hartman, otherwise known as Hilshire." says Cammy, "He had quite a story. You might not believe it, but we at Delta Red had a small role to play in Hilshire's development."

"Do tell." says Marco.

"We're the ones that provide the seized snuff films to Europol. Not for the faint of heart." says Cammy.

"Lovely." says Marco.

"And yes, we knew about Mario Bossi being an informant." Cammy says to Marco, "If we didn't have our hands full with and Shadaloo, Bossi and his entire family would've been relocated to Denmark under the strictest of interrogations."

"Why didn't you say anything to him at the bar?" asks Marco.

"What was I going to say to him?" suggests Cammy, "That I'm sorry we didn't get to him first? I think he turned out all right in the end. And if he never got involved with Hilshire and the Italian police, this bright young darling wouldn't be with us today." ( _she gestures to Triela_ )

"So you mentioned before about taking the girls under your wing." says Marco, "How would that be any different than their Fratello relationships?"

"Because unlike the Social Welfare Agency, we respect our elders." says Cammy, "We won't be putting the girls in the front lines. If I'm out on the job, the girls would be _my_ backup, not the other way around."

"Are you suggesting none of the handlers were good enough to be in the front lines?" says Marco.

"I'm suggesting none of you _would_ be in the front lines. You conditioned the girls to be the equivalent of an AI assassin. A 'cyborg', if you will. They do the dirty work for you, and you fellows come in and clean up afterwards."

"Hilshire wasn't like that; at least not in the way you say." says Triela, "He was always by my side, not behind me."

"I meant no disrespect." says Cammy, "For what it's worth, I would've liked to meet him and shake his hand. You're a remarkable young woman, and I know the man you knew as Hilshire was responsible for a huge chunk of that."

"He had a good head on his shoulders." says Marco, "But we all had our demons. Some were worse than others. The Croce brothers' demons did them in. My only regret is that I couldn't do more to stop them."

"What were your demons?"asks Cammy.

"That I was a handler to begin with." says Marco, "It's going to haunt me for the rest of my life."

"You were in a Fratello with the girl named Angelica, right?" asks Cammy.

 _Marco walks to the window and stares outside, in silence._

"Shit I'm sorry." says Cammy, "She must've meant a lot to you."

Marco hasn't stopped staring outside, "All of us handlers were responsible for naming our cyb….I mean girls. Without thinking, many handlers gave their girls a boy's name." _he turns to Claes, "_ No offense, Claes."

"None taken." says Claes.

"I was assigned to a girl who was the subject of a hit-and-run incident; and the perps were her own flesh and blood." says Marco, "Her parents were the epitome of the scum of the earth. The mother didn't work, and the father had just closed in on a failed business venture. With no means of income, a mortgage, and a child; the two of them decided to cash in on a life insurance policy they had taken out for their daughter, Angelina."

 _Triela turns to Claes_

"Oh my G-d. I had no idea." says Triela.

"There's no way you would have known." says Marco, "Your backgrounds were kept from you so it wouldn't conflict with the conditioning process."

"It's a fucked up world" says Cammy.

"Little Angelina was out walking home with her dog, when a car came out of nowhere speeding down the road, jumping the curb and slamming into her at full force." says Marco, "She was left their paralyzed, until police arrived at the scene."

 _Claes begins to cry. Triela comes over to hug and console her._

"At such a fragile age." says Cammy, "It was a miracle she survived."

"The miracle was yet to come." says Marco, "The parents were constantly trying to get in to visit her at the hospital, so the government intervened and had her transferred to the Social Welfare Agency. There, the miracle workers gave her new arms and legs, and I gave her a new name."

"From Angelina, to Angelica." says Cammy.

"That's correct." says Marco, nodding his head, "If there was one thing the parents did right, it was that this little girl was indeed an Angel. When I took her in, I had to beat the rest of the staff off with a stick to keep from hounding Angelica, especially the women in Section 1."

"Priscilla took an immediate fondness with her. We'd always see the two riding on a moped." says Claes.

Marco: Angelica was the first girl to be put through the conditioning process by the Agency. As time went on, it took its toll. Not only had her memory been wiped clean of her former life, but she began to forget events that went on with her at the Agency. The doctors told me that this was a sign her days were now numbered. We took to meds, but the treatment was only going to delay the inevitable. Despite our pleas to the contrary, Angelica still wanted to go out on the jobs with the other Fratelli. It may have shortened her life even more, but in her mind it gave her a purpose. We created a damn monster ( _Marco shakes his head)_.

Cammy: You can't blame yourself. Without your involvement, Angelina would've been alone and quite possibly crippled for the rest of her life.


	26. Chapter 26

_A nurse walks in on the solemn group without knocking_

"Well from the looks of it things have gotten pretty sour in here." says the nurse, "Is there anything I can do to cheer things up?"

"Well we were just having a confidential conversation." says Marco, "Is the cop asleep outside?"

"No he just stepped away for a moment." says the nurse.

"Claes?" _he signals to her._

Cammy stands up from her seat, "I'll go out and have a look. You three stay here."

"Did I do something wrong?" asks the nurse.

"Don't worry about it, honey." says Marco, "May we be left alone for awhile?"

 _The nurse walks out the door. Cammy stakes her claim on the chair that the officer was supposed to be sitting on, waiting for him to return. Back in the room, Marco and the two girls are looking at each other in bewilderment._

"Penny for your thoughts?" asks Marco to the two girls.

"Please don't hate me for saying this, but I'm starting to like her." says Claes.

Triela nods in agreement, "Yeah, she seems legit to me. But do you trust her? We're still following your authority"

"You're not following anyone's authority." insists Marco, "You two think for yourselves. But if you want my opinion, I'll let you have it. If nothing else, I'm fairly good at reading people. Some say it's a gift. That being said, I think this Cammy person is the real deal. She does seem determined. She kind of reminds me of Jean; just fixated on getting the job done. I think they could've been a good match together."

Triela smirks at the remark, "Somehow I don't think Cammy is interested in fraternizing with anyone."

"You're right, and neither did Jean for that matter." says Marco, rubbing the back of his head.

* * *

 _Cammy is still sitting on the chair outside the room when she notices an officer walking over in her direction. Before he can open his mouth, she storms up to him._

"Where the fuck were you?" she asks him in anger, "There is supposed to be a guard here at all times."

"Relax sweetheart." says the condescending officer, "I went to the John. I'm here now so you could return to your little pajama party in there and let the big boys do their jobs."

 _At that remark, Cammy grabs his arm and gets him in a choke hold._

She whispers in his ear, "If you know what's good for you, you'll just leave. This is international business going on in here. Well beyond the payroll of you doughnut-chomping desk jockeys. Take a hike."

 _The dejected officer walks off in shame; looking back at Cammy sitting on his chair and shakes his head._ _Cammy taps on the door and opens it to peer into the group._

"I'm taking over guard duties here for now, no worries." she says to the group.

 _Marco gets up from his chair and walks outside the room to talk to Cammy_

"So where do we go from here?" asks Marco, "After what went on in the warehouse in Sicily, I'd never have considered these girls would become active once again."

 _Cammy puts her hand on Marco's shoulder_

"You're not going anywhere, buddy." says Cammy, "You will stay here and we'll update you on a need-to-know basis."

"Would I be able to keep in touch with them directly?" asks a solemn Marco.

"You can consider these girls being placed under witness protection." says Cammy, "Connections to the outside world will be strictly limited."

 _Marco puts his hands over his head and begins to choke up._

"I'm losing them again." he says, "I'm not sure how I can live with this on my conscious."

"You're not losing them." assures Cammy, "Your work with the girls won't go unnoticed."

 _Cammy reaches into her breast pocket and takes out a card._

"The number on this card is untraceable." says Cammy, "It won't work if you call from a personal cell or landline. We will mail you a special phone that you would be using to contact us. If they're not on the job, you can call in and we'll patch you up directly with Triela and Claes."

"I guess that's the best I could hope for." says Marco, "I have your word you'll take good care of them."

"They'll be in good hands." says Cammy, "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

 _In the hospital room, Triela and Claes are conversing with each other._

"Cammy is something else." says Triela, "She's nothing like the adults from the Agency; especially the women."

"The women, like Priscilla and Olga, had their own responsibilities beyond what the Fratellos were assigned." says Claes, "But they were still strong in their own right."

"That's true, but Cammy is on another level." says Triela, "She's giving me the impression that she'd take a bullet for us, not the other way around. I've never met someone like her before."

"But how do you feel about working for her, Triela? This won't be like working with the Fratellos in the Agency."

"I know. But I trust her. I just don't know what we're going to be doing from here on in."

 _Claes shrugs her shoulders. Marco opens the door and walks back into the room._

"What's going on?" asks Triela, "We overheard some commotion out there."

"Nothing special." says Marco, "The cop that was outside of the room left his post, and Cammy put him in his place. I tell ya, I wouldn't want to be on her bad side."

Triela smiles, "Yeah, I definitely like her."

"So what's next?" asks Claes, "Are we joining Cammy?"

"You are." says Marco, ""And I can't go with you. Bothers the shit out of me, but it's non-negotiable."

"We don't have a say in the matter?" asks Triela.

"You're a sweetheart, but apparently you don't." says Marco, "She promised me that we could still keep in touch, and that it's possible somewhere down the road they might call on me again for some insight."

"We've never been out on our own before, without at least one handler from the Agency directing us." says Claes, "It would feel weird taking orders from a woman."

"Cammy is not just some ordinary woman." says Marco, "And you're not taking orders from her, you're working with her. Unlike us handlers, she's not going to ask you to take a bullet for her. I do trust her."


	27. Chapter 27

_Cammy gets a phone call on her cell while sitting by the door of the room outside_

"Killer Bee on assignment." she says, "State your business."

"Where have you been, Bee?" says the Delta Red Chief on the other line, "You were supposed to submit a report 24 hours ago on the status of the recruits."

"I'm sorry for not reporting in sooner, but this has been a more delicate situation than we had planned on."

"We need you here, Bee. Something has come up that needs your expertise. I want you and the two recruits at headquarters by 0800 tomorrow."

"Understood sir."

"Transportation details will be provided momentarily. You know the drill."

 _The second Cammy hangs up the phone, a cell phone rings from the nearby nurses' desk. She runs over to pick it up and clicks the receiver on._

"Palermo-Punta Raisi." says an automated voice, "Provide proper documents to security clerk and they'll take it from there. That is all."

 _Cammy takes the sim card out of the phone and puts it in her pants pocket, replacing it with a new one. She walks into the room with the others._

"I've got some bad news." says Cammy, "We're going to have to cut the getting-to-know-yous. I just spoke with headquarters and they want me back pronto."

"Well the girls and I will keep you in our thoughts." says Marco, "Come back to us soon."

"You're misunderstanding me." says Cammy, "Triela and Claes are coming with me."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" implies Marco, "I barely know you. They know you even less"

"I'm sorry. That's just the way it is." says Cammy, "I've had deadlines that have already come and past, but this is different. Something serious came through with HQ and they need us there to go over it."

 _Triela and Claes glance at each other, without saying a word_

"This shit's unreal." says Marco, "Would you let me at least drive you to wherever you need to go?"

"I can't allow you to get involved outside of the hospital grounds from here on in." says Cammy, "Our communication will be on a need-to-know basis. It's for your protection as well as ours."

 _Marco throws both his arm up in the air to signal surrender._

"We'll be ok, Marco." Triela assures him, "The Agency's fratellos weren't all about assassinations and killing people. Both of our handlers treated us right."

 _Marco says nothing, but walks over to give both girls a hug, kissing each on their forehead._

"I'll see to it that they'll be in good hands, even if my life depends on it." says Cammy, "You will see them again, my friend."

"I'll hold you to it."

 _Marco walks out of the room, wiping his eyes as he closes the door behind him._

"So what now, Cammy? asks Claes.

"Now you two will get dressed." says Cammy, "I believe there are some new clothes in your closet."

 _Claes walks over to the room closet to examine its contents._

"There's jeans, sweaters, some skirts, a blouse." says Claes.

"They should be in both of your sizes." says Cammy.

 _Claes changes to a lavender blouse and white skirt. Triela walks over and changes to blue jeans and an orange sweater._

"Cute outfits." says Cammy, "No skirt this time, Triela?"

"Nah. I was wearing a skirt during the assault in Sicily. I'm so used to wearing pants anyway, I really don't mind."

"That's cool." says Cammy, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what I use to wear during my early days with Delta Red."

"Try me." says Triela.


	28. Chapter 28

_Cammy scrolls through the pictures on her personal Smartphone until she finds an old picture of her with her Delta Red crew; wearing nothing but a green thong leotard and her red beret. She shows the picture to Triela and Claes._

"Wow!" says Triela, "Were you on assignment or something? I can't even picture running around in something like that. No offense, but you could be a Sports Illustrated model in that."

Cammy smiles at the remark, "None taken. I wore that all the time. Sure I'd get teased by my crewmates, and occasionally hit on, but that uniform served me well in my line of work. There are cleaner ways to carry out hits than with the barrel of a gun."

Claes is taken aback, "You used your bear hands all the time? That had to be dangerous."

"As long as you keep yourself fit, and know your limits, you'd surprise yourself at what you can do with your own body." says Cammy, "You'll be training with me at your own pace. I wouldn't expect you to keep up with me from the get-go."

 _Triela smirks at that remark_

Cammy: What did I say?

"It was usually the other way around with us at the Agency." says Triela, "Whether we were training with the men and women from HQ, or soldiers off grounds, they'd always have trouble keeping up with us."

Cammy smirks at the comment, "That's cute. You two will be in another league when you're with me. You'll be my backup on jobs."

"So where are we going first?" asks Claes.

"We're leaving in a little while." says Cammy, "I have a pickup that will take us to the airport."

"Are we leaving Italy?" asks Triela, "We've never been outside the country before."

"That's confidential." says Cammy, "I'll fill you in with the details while we're airborne."

 _Cammy, Triela and Claes walk out of the hospital room together. A nurse from down the hallway runs up and approaches them._

"Whoa hold up there." asks the nurse, "Where do you think you're going?"

"We're flying the coop." says Cammy, "Just give this to the front desk and it'll explain everything."

 _Cammy hands over a card with nothing more than a strange logo on the front and a telephone number on the back._

"These girls are under protection of the State." says the nurse, "You can't just walk away with them like this."

"I am, and you're not going to stop me." insists Cammy, "They're under my protection now, and the State can go to hell."

 _Cammy leaves the hospital grounds with Triela and Claes; hailing a cab that will drive them to the airport. Cammy rides in the front passenger's seat, while the two girls sit in the back._

She turns around to face them, "Here are your formal identification cards. Keep them safe, but still readily accessible for when you need them."

 _Cammy hands over photo IDs to both Triela and Claes:_

"How did you make these cards with the photos?" asks Claes, "The Agency kept them highly classified. We'd never take them in public."

"The term "classified" is a four-letter word in our line of work." says Cammy, "If something is really that important, we have our ways to exploit it."

"Your organization can hack into a government agency like Social Welfare?" asks Triela.

"We outsource on special projects." says Cammy, "We may be good, but we can't do everything."

 _Triela had been quiet for most of the ride, staring out the window in her own thoughts. Cammy notices this in the mirror._

"Is something troubling you, sweetheart?" she says to Triela.

"I've been thinking about Mario Bossi and his daughter Maria." says Triela, "He was under Witness Protection from the government as the Agency hunted down the Padania. But I guess now he's essentially off the books. He's still a marked man, I just know it. And they could get to Mimi."

"I'll see what I can do." says Cammy, "I can't promise you anything, but he deserves it after all he's done. He may be a sonuvabitch, but without his help, I know you wouldn't be here. And that's more than enough for me."

 _The car pulls into the airport and drives up to a small private jet on the runway._

"That's what we're flying in?" asks Triela.

"You've never been in a private jet before, have you?" asks Cammy.

"We've never been on a plane before; just large ships crossing the Mediterranean." says Triela.

"Well you better get used to this." says Cammy, "We'll be flying a lot from now on. Incidentally, it's the safest form of transportation."

"That's never given me a sense of reassurance." says Claes, "Triela knows I've never been a fan of modern technology, and we put a lot of trust in automated systems to challenge gravity."

"Well you'll have to trust me moving forward." says Cammy, "I wouldn't make you do anything I wouldn't do."


	29. Chapter 29

_Triela and Claes board the small plane, taking seats in the private cabin. The two girls turn to stare out the windows as the plane slowly leaves the terminal and approaches the runway. Within seconds, they're in the air._

"So now that we're in the air, can you fill us in on where we're headed?" asks Triela.

"Not yet. We haven't reached cruising altitude." says Cammy.

"What is the cruising altitude for this plane?" asks Claes.

"About 35,000 feet." states Cammy.

 _Claes immediately retracts back to her seat, and puts her seatbelt on. Cammy just smiles at her._

"Jesus, you girls are adorable." she says, "It pisses me off what the Agency put you through. A fucking waste."

"It wasn't so bad." says Triela, "When we were on the job, we felt fulfilled. It kept us busy."

"Yeah, but it could've gotten you killed." says Cammy, "Just because the Italian Government was afraid to get their precious hands dirty."

 _After climbing in altitude for several minutes, the plane levels off, and the pilot gets on the loudspeaker._

"Attention agent Bee, we're now at cruising altitude." says the pilot.

"Great. Ok, now I'll let you know we're headed to Sweden." says Cammy.

"I've heard great things about that country." says Triela, "You and I would sure blend in there, Cammy."

 _Triela grabs one of her long, golden pigtails._

"It's different than the images you may have come across in books and movies." says Cammy, "Sweden has become far more multicultural than it ever has been before. You'd find just as many blonde-haired, blue-eyed people as you would brunettes with brown eyes." _She smiles to Claes._

"Stereotypes aren't what they used to be." says Triela.

"You can say that again." says Cammy.

"So what will we be doing in Sweden?" asks Claes, "I could think of some things I'd like to do, but I doubt they're part of the itinerary."

"We'll have leisure time soon enough, but we've got a job to do." says Cammy, "I hope you girls aren't afraid of the dark."

"We're going somewhere at night?" asks Triela.

"Patrolling the streets." says Cammy, "Sweden after hours is not the lovely, sunny disposition you'll read about in the travel brochures."

"You mean trafficking?" asks Triela.

Cammy nods her head, "And then some. There are some real monsters roaming the streets out there. But what we'll be doing on the streets is just the tip of the iceberg. As I've mentioned before, you two will serve as my backup. You stay with the girls we locate and keep them safe; I'll take care of the Johns."

"How long before we land?" asks Triela.

"We'll be in the air for a few hours." says Cammy, "You could take a nap if you like, or we could put the TV on."

"You wouldn't happen to have any books on board, do you?" asks Claes.

"We've got something better." says Cammy.

 _Cammy takes out an electronic tablet and gives it to Claes._

"This has just about every book you could possibly think of, and some you might not. HQ told me you had a thing for books, so I made sure they hooked you up right."

"That can't be the same thing as reading a physical book." says Triela.

"I think it's actually better." says Cammy, "Easy to hold in your hands, and it remembers where you left off when it's not in use."

"Thank you, I believe I can get used to this." says Claes.

"Do you want something to read, Triela?" asks Cammy.

"I'm fine." says Triela, "So much has happened to me over the last 48 hours, I can't get much sleep and can't concentrate on anything else."

"Let's pretend we're just friends, ok?" says Cammy, "What is it you do for fun? What motivates you to perform to the best of your abilities? What turns you on?"

"I enjoyed training with the girls and Hillshire." says Triela, "We would always test the limits of what the scientists and doctors thought we'd be able to achieve. Being in the field was where we'd hone our skills."

"I can appreciate that." says Cammy, "Training and going out on jobs with Delta Red certainly got the juices flowing for me. But what about free time? Surely the Agency granted you girls time for yourselves."

"Whatever free time we were granted was mostly spent eating, studying, or sleeping." says Triela, "We did go sightseeing on occasion with our handlers, but that was only during jobs."

"I'll certainly make a note of that. In our line of work, you'll go nuts without ways to let loose and free your mind. We'll be travelling a lot, and the world certainly has its share of wonderful places to visit."

"Can I ask you a personal question?" asks Triela.

"Nothing's personal between the three of us." says Cammy, "If anything, and I mean ANYTHING is on your mind, you tell me and no one else. That's non-negotiable. And I'll be that open with you."

"Fair enough. Are you married? I can't imagine having a family, or even being in a relationship with someone while you're away from home for so long.

 _Cammy smiles at the unexpected question from Triela. Just like a normal girl to think like that._

"Delta Red is my family; and they're on the move as much as I am. I'm not married, but have someone who's more important to me than anyone else on Earth."

"He sounds like a very special person. Like Hillshire was to me."

"Hillshire saved your life. Of course he's special to you. He's special to me too, because without his interference, you wouldn't be here. But the person that's most important to me isn't a 'he', but a 'she'. I mentioned her the other day in the hospital room, Chun-Li."

"The one whose father you assassinated? She's that important to you?"

"As I told you, I'm in her debt forever. She could've had me drawn and quartered after Interpol captured me from Shadoloo's clutches. Vengeance is quite a powerful motivator. The Croce brothers knew that all too well."

 _Cammy and the two former assassins of the Social Welfare Agency keep to themselves for the remainder of the flight. It is late in the evening by the time the plane lands in Stockholm._


	30. Chapter 30

**_SCENE XXVIII: STOCKHOLM AIRPORT, 10PM._**

Cammy and the girls leave the terminal entrance to see a man in a dark business suit signaling them to enter his black Mercedes with tinted windows.

"Is he with us?" asks Triela, "We're following you, Cammy."

Cammy shakes her head, "That's our ride. Interpol spares no expense at transportation, whether it's the private jet we just flew on, or a chauffeured Mercedes with tinted windows."

"Agent Bee, it is good to see you again in Stockholm." says the driver, "May I presume these are the new recruits from the Social Welfare Agency?"

"That's affirmative." says Cammy, "Though they're young, they're to be treated no differently than anyone else in our little organization."

 _The driver looks down at Triela and Claes, smiling._

"It is my pleasure to meet you, young ladies. I am at your service." says the driver.

"What a gentleman!" exclaims Triela, "I'm sorry….I'm just not used to this."

"Perfectly fine." the driver says, smiling, "Ladies, if you may join me in the car so we can be on our way. Your hotel is still 40 kilometers away."

 _Cammy sits in the front next to the driver. Triela and Claes sit in the rear, put their seatbelts on, and both stare out the windows as the car rolls out of the airport. The ride takes them through darkened, mostly unoccupied streets. Cammy is alerted by something._

"Viktor, can you find a place to park?" asks Cammy, "I want to check something out."

"There's a pub nearby with a vacant lot." says Viktor, "I'll pull in and stay in the car."

 _Viktor drives into the lot and parks; but the engine is still running._

"Turn the car off." says Cammy, "This may take awhile. Can I assume you're armed?"

 _Viktor reveals a concealed pistol under his jacket_

"Don't leave home without it." says the driver, "May you require a firearm for yourself or the new recruits?"

"That's a negative."

"Well then please allow me to assist in communication should you get separated."

 _Viktor opens the trunk of his car to obtain a small locked briefcase. He opens it inside the car to reveal a set of four Bluetooth headsets._

"How did you know we'd need these tonight?" asks Claes, "Wouldn't you have assumed we'd just go straight to the hotel?"

"I never travel light." says Viktor, "Whether it's to the grocery store to pick up milk for the Misses, or driving Interpol agents to their next destination, I come prepared."

 _Cammy and the girls fix the headsets over their ears. Viktor stays in the car, but rolls down the window as they start to walk away._

"I'll be listening to everything going on." he says, "Please be safe, and do not forget that you're not alone."

 _Triela and Claes follow Cammy through downtown Stockholm. Cammy appears on edge; looking left and right into every narrow street they pass. They were walking for twenty minutes when Claes spotted a teenager not too much older than Triela, wearing a tight mini skirt and a glittery, loose-fitting halter top. The girl is standing next to a much older man who has his hands around her waist. Claes taps Cammy on the shoulder and subtly points in the direction of the girl._

"That's our target." says Cammy, "You two wait here and stay hidden. These Johns can be relentless. He'll more than likely run away; but I need you to stay with the girl. She won't know what's going on and will be terrified, but you have to convince her to follow you back to Viktor. She'll be in your care until I return. Under no circumstances are you to follow me."

"What if you get in trouble?" asks Triela.

 _All of a sudden, static comes through their headsets, and Viktor comes through the com._

"Remember what I said, you're not alone; none of you are." says Viktor.

 _Cammy looks both of them in the eyes, placing both of her hands on their shoulders_

"He's right, you know." Cammy says, smiling.

 _The girls nod to Cammy with assurance, and she walks towards the man and teenager. Triela and Claes hide around the corner; peering into the angle as the scene unfolds._

 _The man is taken by surprise by the woman approaching him. He puts his hand on the teenager's breast. Cammy shakes her head._

"Got a problem, sweetheart?" says the man, "No need to be jealous. There's room enough for the two of you. You just need to ditch those clothes. I'll bet you're all woman underneath that monkey suit. Something Tina here can only dream of."

 _Tina sheds a tear at that remark without saying a word. Cammy takes a breath, but remains calm. In a past life, the man's neck would have been snapped before the next thought crossed his mind. Years of training with Delta Red helped her keep composure during the most dangerous of circumstances._

"She's coming with me." demands Cammy, "You can either let her go and give yourself up, or suffer the consequences."

"You and those long pigtails don't scare me, cunt. Fuck off." shrugs the man.

 _Before he knew what was coming, Cammy's right fist slugs him in the face. The girl runs away, but Claes and Triela follow the pursuit. The man spits two teeth out of his mouth and holds the right side of his face._

"You're gonna pay for that, you bitch." says the man, "Wouldn't be the first time I've kicked the shit out of a woman; though no less deserving."

 _Cammy knees him to the groin; so hard that he vomits some blood. She grabs his head and speaks directly into his ear._

"Listen to me, you sorry excuse for a human being." she says, "The only reason I'm letting you live is to gather information on the sex trafficking going on here. You're gonna tell me where you picked up the girl, and I'll be happy to drop you off into the arms of the local law enforcement. I'm sure there's a cell reserved for a pedophile like you that you'll be sharing with a murderous scumbag with a particular hatred for your kind."

 _The man coughs up more blood, and his voice is reduced to a whisper. He has a wry grin on his face._

"I'm not telling you shit." says the man, "As if I'm supposed to care about some worthless pieces of ass roaming these streets. Either kill me now or dump me with the police. I'm a lost cause to you either way".

 _Reluctantly, Cammy realizes she won't get anything out of the man. She grabs one of his arms, twists it behind his back, and forces him to walk with her to the police station a few blocks away._


	31. Chapter 31

**_SCENE XXIX: CLAES AND TRIELA HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE TEENAGE PROSTITUTE THROUGH THE CITY STREETS. THE GIRL RUNS UP THE STEPS OF A SHODDY HOTEL, ENTERS AND CLOSES THE DOOR ABRUPTLY BEHIND HER. TRIELA EXAMINES THE BUILDING AND CONFIDES WITH CLAES._**

"The Sun and Moon?" asks Triela, "It appears to be a hotel, so I can't imagine the girl lives here."

"She could be a runaway." says Claes, "No matter what, we have to get her away from here. I'm sensing that girl is in danger."

 _Claes and Triela go through the door and approach the front desk of the hotel. Triela rings the bell on the desk to signal the concierge. An old man with a thick beard looks down to them._

"We've got no vacancies." says the concierge, but suddenly changes his tone, "Unless…how old are you two?"

"I'm 14, and my sister is 13." says Triela, "We were told this is the place to find sanctuary."

 _Claes turns to Triela with an inquisitive look. Triela briefly gestures with her eyes, as if to say, "trust me, I know what I'm doing"._

"Go to room 409." says the concierge, "Take the lift around the corner to the fourth floor. The room is three doors down to your right. Don't knock. When you get to the door, repeat these words: 'Mary had a little lamb'."

"'Mary had a little lamb'?" asks Claes.

"That's it." says the concierge.

 _Claes follows Triela to the lift, and she presses the button to the fourth floor. They remain quiet amongst themselves as the lift gradually climbs from floor to floor. As it reaches the fourth, they hear what sounds like techno music blasting. They look at each other, and follow the concierge's directions to room 409._

"Mary had a little lamb." says Triela.

 _A few minutes go by with no response._

"Maybe you have to say it louder." suggests Claes.

Triela shouts to the door, "Mary had a little lamb!"

 _Triela and Claes hear objects being banged around from within the room. The door opens, and tall man wearing dark sunglasses is standing there. A young, half-naked girl can be seen hiding her shame with the sheets on the bed._

"Goddamit." says the man, "I told that horny old bastard not to let anyone up past 10. Well, you girls are cute anyway. We need to get you into some more comfortable clothes. Ann-Marie! Get your ass over here!"

 _A woman in her thirties wearing a sports bra and spandex pants comes running to the room._

"Come with me." says Ann-Marie.

 _The girls follow the woman down the hall. Triela turns her head to notice the man from room 409 leave his room and head towards the lift in the opposite direction. Claes peers into each room to notice if she can see Tina._


	32. Chapter 32

_When the lift door opens, the man runs to the front desk. After ringing the bell several times to signal the concierge, he walks to the back of the desk. The concierge is lying unconscious on the floor._

"What the fuck?" says the sun-glassed man.

 _The man runs back into the lift, frantically hitting the "4" button._

 _Triela and Claes follow Ann-Marie into the last room of the hall. Tina is in the room changing clothes._

"What are you two doing here?" asks Tina, "I can't believe Vincent let you in. And where's Erik?"

"Is Erik your pimp?" asks Claes.

 _Tina runs over and without a moment's notice, swipes her hand in an attempt to slap Claes in the face. Triela grabs her hand, and holds onto it firmly._

"You don't want to do that." says Triela, "We're here to help."

 _All of a sudden Erik comes running into the room out of breath._

"Vincent is out cold." says Erik. _He turns to Claes and Triela, who still has Tina's hand firmly in her grasp. "_ Do you want to tell me what the fuck is going on here?"

"Did they kill him?" asks Ann-Marie.

"Don't be so fucking stupid." says Erik, "They're just girls. Besides, he had to have sent them up here in the first place. They were with you the whole time, weren't they?"

"Yes they were."

"You'd better spill your guts." he says. _He takes out a switchblade from his pocket. "_ See this knife? I'll shove it so far up that tight c….."

 ** _Zap_** _! Erik drops to the floor like a limp noodle as 25,000 volts of electricity has just gone through his entire body. All of the sudden excitement cause panic throughout the floor, and dozens of terrified girls run away screaming in fear._

 _There are two large school buses parked by the front entrance to the hotel. Interpol agents in dark sunglasses are escorting the young women leaving the hotel to board the buses._


	33. Chapter 33

_Still inside the room on the fourth floor, a woman dressed in black torn jeans and a ripped t-shirt with a diamond stud in her nose drops the taser she just used on Erik._

"Thank you." Triela says to the woman, "Things got crazy in a hurry here. I wasn't sure how far we were supposed to go. I was under the assumption we were supposed to show restraint."

"Don't thank me." says the strange woman, "I overheard what was going on through the com and decided to intervene."

"How did you hear our com?" asks Claes, "I thought it was supposed to be a closed circuit."

"I have my ways." says the woman.

"Are you with Interpol?" asks Triela, "Cammy didn't mention we were going to meet anyone new tonight."

"Viktor did mention that we weren't alone." says Claes, "I guess this is what he meant."

"I'm not with Interpol. I'm not with the police. I'm my own person, no one's gonna tell me otherwise." says the woman.

"But who are you?" asks Triela, "You still didn't have to stick your neck out for us."

"I guess you're not from around here. I dig that. You can call me WASP."

"You're called 'WASP', and Cammy is 'Killer Bee'? That's just a coincidence?" asks Claes.

"You could say that." says the woman. _She gives them a smirk, "_ You know what they say; the wasp is nature's asshole."

"What does that make the bee?" asks Triela.

"Nature's bitch." says the woman.

 _Cammy walks into the room just at that moment._

"Lisbeth, play nice." she says.

"I don't take orders from you." says Lisbeth.

Yes we know, you're your own person." says Cammy, "We've all heard this story before."

"Yeah whatever." says Lisbeth, "I'm out of here."

 _Lisbeth Salander walks out of the room; Cammy shaking her head back to the girls._

"Lisbeth has her issues, but she means well." says Cammy.

"I don't get it." says Claes, "If she's not with Interpol or the police, why is she helping us? What's it to her?"

"She's had a rough life." says Cammy, "To put things bluntly, she hates men who take advantage of women."

"Isn't that why we're here?" suggests Triela, "Wouldn't she fit right in with us?"

"We're all taught to demonstrate restraint." says Cammy, "These people that we'll be going after may be the scum of the earth _she gives a swift kick to Erik's lifeless body on the floor_ , but they're still human beings. We need information from them. But Lisbeth has no restraints; no boundaries. And furthermore, she doesn't trust the police, so any hope for directly working for us is out of the picture."

 _Static comes through the headsets. Viktor's voice comes on the com._

"If you lovely ladies are all right, I'm parked outside ready to take you to the hotel." he says.

"I think we've all earned this." says Cammy, "Let's get out of this shithole."

 _Cammy and the girls get into the car and Viktor heads to the hotel at the other side of the town. It is close to 1am, and the streets are quiet again. Claes and Triela have both fallen asleep in the rear of the car. As the car pulls up, a bellboy from the hotel is waiting at the steps to help the party in._

"May I take your luggage, Madam?" says the bellboy.

"We'll be fine." says Cammy. _She turns around to realize the girls are fast asleep, and decides they should be carried in. "_ On second thought, Viktor, open the trunk so they could take the luggage in. We'll take the girls in."

 _The bellboy unloads three suitcases from the trunk, and places them on a cart. Cammy opens the back door of the car on the right side, and takes Claes into her arms. Viktor takes Triela. The hotel concierge holds the door open as they enter the lobby._

"Your suite is ready and waiting, Agent Bee." says the concierge, "If you are in need of any assistance, please do not hesitate to ring the lobby at any hour."

"Thank you." says Cammy, "May I assume Interpol has made the necessary arrangements with the hotel?"

"That is correct." says the concierge, "We have security monitoring all floors, 24 hours a day. No one enters this hotel without proper clearance."

 _The bellboy opens the door to the suite. It is the Presidential Suite of the hotel; complete with a large lounge area, kitchen, three connected bedrooms, and a Jacuzzi in the bathroom. Cammy decides it's better off to have both girls sleeping in the same bed tonight, so she places Claes in the bed, and signals Viktor to carefully place Triela on the other side. She takes Claes' glasses off her head and places them on the nightstand, and tucks them in._

Viktor whispers to Cammy, "These girls remind me so much of my granddaughter, Elsa. I'd damn go to hell and back to see to her happiness."

"I know the feeling." whispers Cammy, "Claes and Triela have been through so much the past 48 hours. I want tomorrow to be a relaxing day for these two. We'll let them sleep and maybe go sightseeing tomorrow. In the meantime, go home and be with your family, Vik. And be safe."


	34. Chapter 34

**_SCENE XXX: THE NEXT MORNING._**

Claes and Triela walk into the lounge area of the suite to see Cammy sitting down on a chair eating a delicious looking danish. A table by the wall features a variety of danishes, eggs, cereal, breakfast meats, and beverages.

"Wow." says Triela, "I don't even know where to start."

"Eat as much as you want." Cammy says with a smile, "You've earned it. Interpol's spared no expense."

"It's been quite awhile since I've been able to have a hearty meal like this." says Claes.

"I know the Agency had used you as a human guinea pig, Claes." says Cammy, "I could barely stomach reading your files."

"It wasn't so bad." says Claes, "Some of the activities that the doctors had me do were more strenuous than others; but I was rewarded with far more freedom than the other cyborgs on campus, so I was in no place to complain about it."

"But what did you do for fun?" asks Cammy, "I know you read quite often, and tended to your own personal garden."

 _Claes pauses for a moment to reflect back on her last few years at the Social Welfare Agency._

"My garden made me happy." says Claes, "It's hard to explain. It gave me a sense of pride to see the flowers bloom in the Spring. The bees pollinating, the fragrances….it was surreal."

 _Cammy smiles at Claes' thorough description._

Cammy points her finger to the ceiling, "I know what we'll do today. How would you like to go to the Gothenburg Botanical Garden?"

"That's among the largest botanical gardens in Europe." says Claes, "But Gothenburg is on the other side of the country from us. How would we get there?"

"We'll take the train, of course." says Cammy, "Sweden is really beautiful this time of year, and the best way to get from point A to point B is by train. You'll get to see the full countryside in all its glory. How do you feel about such a trip, Triela?"

"That would be awesome!" says Triela, "While plants and flowers are more up along Claes' alley, I'm excited for the trip itself. I miss the long trips that Hilshire and I used to go on."

"That clinches it." says Cammy. _She takes out her cell phone to call Viktor._ "Viktor, we're going to need transportation to the train station. Also get us three first class tickets on the next bullet train to Gothenburg; mid-level security on that train for us."

"You've got it, boss." he says over the phone.

 _Cammy and the two girls finish eating, and go back into their rooms to get dressed. Triela and Claes don colorful sundresses, each of them are examining how they look in the room's full length mirror. Cammy walks in wearing a bright pink tank top and cropped white pants, she's holding a pair of matching sun hats for the girls._

"Ok, you girls look too adorable for words." says Cammy.

"If only Marco can see us now." says Triela.

"I'll send him a picture." says Cammy, "Care to pose for one?"

"How do we do that?" asks Claes.

"Just stand there and smile." says Cammy, "Triela, put your arm around Claes."

 _Cammy snaps a few pictures with her cell phone, and sends them in a text to Marco. A little while later, Viktor calls on the intercom to let Cammy know the car is ready to take them to the train._


	35. Chapter 35

**_SCENE XXXI: FIRST CLASS CABIN ON A BULLET TRAIN TO GOTHENBERG, SWEDEN._**

Claes is reading an illustrated book on Sweden's landscapes. Triela has been peering out the windows on both sides to admire the scenery. Cammy wakes up after napping for a couple of hours.

"Enjoying the views?" she says to Triela.

"It's incredible." replies Triela, "Certain valleys remind me of Tuscany, but there's a different quality to it. I guess we were so focused on the jobs, we couldn't spend too much time admiring the countryside."

"That's understandable." says Cammy, "I've gone all over the world, but very rarely would I be able to have some time to myself where I could admire the scenery like you're doing now. And how are you doing, Claes?"

"I'm doing fine." says Claes, "The Gothenberg Botanical Gardens takes up some 430 acres which is mostly a nature reserve, 40 of those acres are the actual gardens. There's more than 16,000 flora featured on the premises."

"Right up your alley, huh?" Cammy says, smiling.

 _It is close to 2pm when the train pulls into the Gothenberg Station. Claes checks the film in her camera, and follows Cammy and Triela off the train. Cammy hails a cab outside the station, and it takes them directly to the Botanical Gardens._


	36. Chapter 36

**_SCENE XXXII: GOTHENBERG BOTANICAL GARDENS._**

Cammy, Triela, and Claes approach the ticket booth when they're approached from behind by a middle-aged man, who puts his arm around Cammy as she is about to buy the tickets.

"Please allow me to pay for all these lovely ladies." says the man.

"What the hell are you doing here, Blomkvist?" says Cammy, with a notable agitated tone in her voice, "Did La Femme Nakita get to you about us?"

"You know Lisbeth has her ways." says Mikhael Blomkvist, "She knew I'd be interested."

"If you're here for an interview, forget it." says Cammy, "We're here on holiday, and I'll be damned if this little excursion is nothing more than a featured article in your crappy magazine. Don't you have some white collar bureaucrat to bring down; or at least some married woman to spend the night with? You can't be that lonely.

"Some things never change, Cammy." Blomkvist says with a smirk, "You're always trying to bust my balls. I'm here on holiday too. Absolutely 100% off the record. I swear on my daughter's life that I only wanted to get to know these girls on a friendly level."

 _Triela pulls Cammy aside. Claes huddles with them._

"Who is he?" Triela asks Cammy, "Is he Lisbeth Salander's husband?"

Cammy can't help but laugh hysterically at the remark, "You girls will be grandmothers before the notion of Lisbeth settling down with anyone crosses her mind. No, Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist here in Sweden. But he has a history with Lisbeth. We'll leave it at that."

"Care to join me?" says Blomkvist, "I promise I don't bite."

 _Claes looks up to Cammy inquisitively._

"It'll be fine." says Cammy, "I trust him, and I don't trust many people."

 _After buying the four tickets, Blomkvist leads Cammy and the girls through the front gate of the Gothenberg Botanical Garden. He sees Claes with a book in her hands, and gives her a map of the gardens._

"How about you can be our guide, sweetheart?" he suggests to Claes.

"Thank you." says Claes, "Well it looks like there's a chrysanthemum patch over there."

 _After an hour and a half of walking, Cammy suggested everyone take a break at the Garden's cafeteria for lunch._

"Well Claes, I already know so much about you just by walking around the grounds here." says Blomkvist, "You certainly have a green thumb."

Claes is flushed with the remark, "The Agency gave me the freedom to tend to my garden on the campus when they didn't need me. I know my life wasn't ideal, but I couldn't complain either."

"I guess the Agency had its merits." says Blomkvist, "But their main objective was to use you; all of you. That, above all, was reprehensible in my opinion."

"I realize the actions of the Agency seems crazy from the outside looking in, but us girls still had much to be thankful for." says Triela.

"How can you be so sure that wasn't the 'conditioning' talking?" says Cammy.

"I guess it was just a feeling in my gut." says Triela, "I can't explain it."

 _Triela brushes the bangs from her forehead and shyly stares away from the group._

"I'm sorry." says Blomkvist, "I didn't mean for this discussion to bring up old wounds. Let's change subjects. Is this your first time in Sweden?"

"Yes it is." says Triela, "Cammy has told us that we'll be travelling a lot; and I guess this is the first of many."

"I'm a woman of my word." Cammy says with a smile, "You'll be filling up your passport book before you know it; both of you."

Triela smiles back, "I like that."

"So what are your first impressions of our beautiful country so far?" asks Blomkvist.

"Well our first night here wasn't too pleasant." says Triela, "It was actually forgettable."

"And we'll leave it forgotten." says Blomkvist, "Lisbeth filled me in on what transpired when she came into the picture, and that's good enough for me."

"Can I ask you about Lisbeth?" says Claes.

"What would you like to know about her?" says Blomkvist, as he then turns to Cammy.

"I don't mean to offend, but she's a very strange woman." says Claes, "How did she get that way? I'm kind of an independent person, but I still care about the people around me."

 _Triela reaches over and kisses the top of her head._

"I wouldn't want you any other way." says Triela.

 _Cammy smiles at the both of them_

"Lisbeth had led a very troubled life." says Blomkvist, "From what I know, you girls have had it rough as well, but at least you worked with people who cared about your wellbeing. She never had anyone like that, except her first guardian."

"She had a guardian?" asks Claes.

"Holger Palmgren." says Blomkvist, "He cared for her as her legal guardian until suffering a stroke. It was issued by the state after she was committed for attempting to kill her father."

"Why would she want to do that?" asks Triela.

"Because of what he did to her mother." says Blomkvist, "Physical and mental abuse beyond recognition. The kind of stuff you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy."

"Is that what made her the way she is now?" asks Claes.

 _Cammy nods her head to Claes._

"Lisbeth adamantly hates men who abuse women." says Blomkvist.

"Cammy's mentioned that to us yesterday." says Triela, "It's something we all have in common."

"She takes it to another level." says Cammy, "Like I've told you before, she has no boundaries. Where the police would want to interrogate a John to get a heads up on the trafficking in the region, she'll just kill him with no remorse. She's a walking time bomb."

"I guess I can't blame her." says Triela, "In fact, I think I admire her."

"I do too." says Claes, "I can't even explain it."


	37. Chapter 37

Blomkvist has been talking with Cammy and the two former Social Welfare Agency assassins for well over an hour. The girls have been careful not to get into too much detail over their missions with the Agency over fear that it would somehow become a featured article in Millenium Magazine, and Cammy has been diligently making sure everything they've gone over is entirely off the record. She even went so far as to pat Blomkvist down as the conversation shifted its focus towards the daily life of the Agency. All of a sudden his cell phone rings.

"Blomkvist", he says.

"Mikke it's me." says Erika Berger, his lover and co-owner of Millenium Magazine, "Where are you and when are you coming home?"

"I'm in Gothenberg right now." says Blomvkist, "spending some time with two beautiful women and Cammy White" _Cammy gives him the middle finger_. "I'll be home later on tonight."

Cammy grabs both Triela and Claes in a huddle and whispers to them, "and that will be the married woman he's having an affair with."

"I'll never understand the minds of grown-ups." says Triela as she shakes her head, "especially those that weren't involved with the Agency."

"Blomkvist is a womanizer, but he's a respectable womanizer." says Cammy, "you can thank Lisbeth for keeping his dick in his pants."

"I won't even begin to try to understand what that means." says Claes.

Cammy can only smile at that remark. Blomkvist clicks the phone off and turns his attention back to Cammy and the two girls.

"That was my better half." he says to them.

Cammy gives a wink to Triela and Claes.

"Yeah yeah I get it," Blomkvist says with a smirk, "I'm shameless."

"How is Berger doing lately?" says Cammy, "I've always admired her work ethic."

"She's doing good," says Blomkvist with a smile, "there's never a dull moment in our line of work you know. Every other week she's trying to convince me to retire."

"I can't picture you retired," says Cammy, "sitting at home on your fat ass watching a football match. That's just not you, Blomkvist."

"Jeez, Cammy. You couldn't be more condescending if you tried." he says, "retirement is something to cherish; I'm sure you know of Harriet Vanger, right?" _Cammy nods her head_ , "well she told me the family has a vacant house on Hedeby Island that they'd willing to part with if I was interested."

"Scene of the crime; pun intended." says Cammy, "I guess you take what you can get to leave the rat race."

"But the magazine would keep calling my name. Erika and I will be running that gig until we're old and gray. You can put your money on that."

Claes turns to Cammy, "what happened at Hedeby Island?"

"It's a long story." says Blomkvist, "if you like murder mysteries, that one was a doozy. A young woman disappeared from her family's mansion in Hedestad 40 years prior. The family called on me to help them out, and Lisbeth joined in the cause later on."

"So how did it end? Did they find out who murdered her?" asks Triela.

Blomkvist smiles at the question, "believe it or not, she wasn't murdered. I found her alive and well, living abroad under an alias. She had escaped from the persecution of her abusive brother."

"What happened to him? Couldn't he go after her again as an adult?" asks Claes.

"Lisbeth happened." said Blomvkist, "The woman's brother had kidnapped me and held me for torture in a holding cell; the same place he held and murdered young women. Lisbeth had put all the pieces together, and realized the brother was involved. She rescued me, and chased him on the road until his vehicle overturned and blew up in a fireball."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." says Cammy, "as I've told you before, Lisbeth is a walking timebomb. The death of Martin Vanger left a huge hole in the investigation of what happened there 40 years before. Justice was never served to the perpetrators."

"That's a matter of opinion." says Blomkvist, "Martin Vanger was a disgusting pig with absolutely no respect for women; and his father Gottfried was even worse. Two very deplorable people that this world is better off rid of."

"What's done is done; there's no use dwelling on it." says Cammy.

"On that note, I'm gonna head back home. It was a pleasure meeting you too." Blomkvist says as he shakes the hands of Triela and Claes, "if you're ever in the neighborhood, please stop by the Millenium office. My crew would love to meet you."

"Yeah, I'm sure they would." says Cammy with a sarcastic tone.

"Always off the record. I'm the boss and the buck stops with me." says Blomkvist, "If anyone stuck a recorder in front of you they'd be fired on the spot. I respect your integrity."

"Thank you." says Triela.

"Cammy, keep these girls safe." says Blomkvist, "or I'll expose Interpol to the likes of which you'd never expect."

"I'd like to see you try." says Cammy with a sly smirk, "but you can still rest assured that to hell or high water they'll be under my protection. You've got a good head on your shoulders, Blomkvist. _She says as she shakes his hand._ Don't ever let the one in your pants take over."

"Touché" says Blomkvist, as he walks off waving one hand good-bye.


	38. Chapter 38

As the sunny sky overhead turns to dusk, Cammy checks her watch and decides it's time to head back to Stockholm. As they're walking outside of the entrance towards the cab waiting for them, Cammy hears a helicopter flying overhead and looks up.

"I know that bird", she says to Triela and Claes.

"You mean they're with Interpol?" asks Triela, "what would they be doing here?"

"I'm not sure." says Cammy, "unless there's something going on out here in the middle of nowhere, they're probably looking for us."

The three of them watch as the helicopter lands on an open valley only about a kilometer away from them. Against her will, Cammy directs the cab driver to take them to the field. A familiar female voice to Cammy comes through on the intercom.

"Cammy, it's urgent. We need you and the recruits to come with us." says the woman.

Cammy smiles at the sound of the womans' voice, "it's good to hear from you again, Chun-Li. I know two girls who are eager to meet you."

Triela looks and Claes, and shrugs her shoulders. Cammy notices this and reassures them once again, "trust me, you'll like her the moment you meet."

As the car pulls up close to the landed helicopter, a woman wearing a blue Chinese dress steps off and approaches Cammy and the team. Her hair is fitted in two white buns on the side and she has spiked wristcuffs on both arms. Claes can't help but stare at the woman's muscular legs.

"Hey, eyes up here." says Chun-Li to Claes.

"I'm sorry." says Claes.

Cammy winks at Claes, and formally introduces the two girls to Chun-Li. Then she walks over to give Chun-Li an intimate hug, and kisses her. Claes and Triela just look at each other with a sudden awe. Chun-Li regains her composure, and proceeds to go into the details as to why they're being called upon so urgently.

"We just got a tip on a massive operation in Uppsala." says Chun-Li, "there's no time for a train. We're going directly to the airport there and will be leading a team in armored cars to a warehouse downtown. I'll be joining you on this mission."

"What will Claes and I be doing?" asks Triela.

"You'll be with the backup team if things get hairy on the outside." affirms Chun-Li.

As Cammy and the girls board the helicopter, Claes looks down at the clothes she and Triela are wearing, and seems distressed.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" asks Chun-Li.

"I don't mean to speak out of bounds." says Claes, "but I don't believe these clothes are suitable for combat."

"We have a trailer waiting for you at the airport." says Chun-Li, "you'll find clothes to change into there. Of course you need to be quick about it."

"That's not a problem for us." says Triela. She almost feels a slight sense of shamefulness. Never in her life has she been in the presence of such powerful women before today. She knew she'd never forget Hilshire, but she still felt herself gravitating towards these new people in her presence with admiration.


	39. Chapter 39

_**SCENE XXXIII: ARNA AIRPORT (UPPSULA) AIRPORT. IT IS LATE IN THE EVENING. A BASE FOR THE SWEDISH AIR FORCE, IT PROVIDES BOTH THE PRIVACY AND SECURITY FOR INTERPOL'S OPERATIONS IN THE REGION. THE HELICOPTER LANDS CLOSE TO A LARGE HANGER WITH THREE JETS BEING CARED FOR BY MECHANICS. A DARK BLACK TRAILER PULLS UP CLOSE TO THE HELICOPTER.**_

"That's our ride." says Chun-Li, "please change quickly as we'll be leaving shortly."

Chun-Li leads Cammy and the two girls off the helicopter and into the trailer. Both Claes and Triela are holding their dresses down from the strong wind created by the helicopter's blades.

"I don't know about you, Claes, but I'm really looking forward to changing out of this dress." says Triela.

"I'm with you on that." says Claes, "they're comfortable, but not very practical for certain situations."

As they climbed into the trailer, Chun-Li pointed to a large dresser in the back, "You'll find the combat fatigues in there."

Both girls take only a couple of minutes to change into their new attire, and Cammy a short time later wearing a green thong leotard and red gloves. As she's adjusting her red beret, Triela can't help but look up and down at her. The photo she had seen only a few days earlier had not done Cammy's appearance justice.

"You like what you see?" says Cammy.

Both Triela and Claes smile, but say nothing. They notice from the window that two large army trucks pull up behind them, and the small convoy leaves the airport.

* * *

 ** _SCENE XXXIII: THE CONVOY PULLS UP TO A LARGE WAREHOUSE IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF UPPSULA. EVENING HAS TURNED TO NIGHT, AND THE TWO SOLDIERS IN THE TRAILER ARE PUTTING ON NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES. CHUN-LI PREPARES TO BRIEF THE NEW RECRUITS AND CAMMY._**

"Cammy and I will be leading Alpha team into the front entrance of the building." says Chun-Li, "you two will be the backup with Beta team. _Addressing_ _Triela and Claes_. Beta will be staying with the vehicles but will be ready if or when they're called on. Things could get hairy, so be prepared. Any questions?"

Triela shyly raises her hand.

"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" says Chun-Li.

"Is this a sex trafficking operation?" asks Triela, "Claes and I could provide the women with some security."

"It is a sex trafficking operation, but we need you providing cover for us from the outside." says Chun-Li, "again, if we need you, for whatever the reason, we'll summon you immediately. Corporal Liam Nilsson will show you to the arsenal cabinets. Choose your most comfortable weapons, and be on alert."

Cammy and Chun-Li exit the trailer, and lead the two dozen soldiers of Alpha team to the front entrance of the warehouse. Corporal Nilsson leads Triela and Claes to the large weapons cabinet in one of the armored vehicles behind the trailer. Triela grabs a Fabrique Nationale P90, a favorite sub-machine gun she used on the Fratello missions with the Social Welfare Agency. Claes picks up an Uzi. One of the soldiers on Beta team provides the ammo for both guns, and speed at which both girls load their weapons catches the Corporal off guard.

"You two are something else." says Corporal Nilsson, "when Chun-Li told me about you, I found it hard to believe. In my line of work, you think you've seen it all."

"The Social Welfare Agency trained us well." says Triela, "Though it seems like it's been awhile, this never really goes away."

As Triela looks outside at the building, she senses a feeling of déjà vu. Though so much has happened in the past 48 hours, it seems as it was only yesterday that the Fratellos of the Social Welfare Agency led an assault on the Padania in Italy. Claes notices the sudden change in her mood, and wants to comfort her friend.

"What's wrong, Triela?" she says.

"I was just thinking about how this scene seems all too familiar to me. If I only knew that it would be the last time I would be with Hilshire, I wonder what I would have done differently." says Triela.

"Everyone had a job to do." says Claes, "you can't dwell on the past over choices you might have made. It's important to focus on the present."

"She's right, you know." says Corporal Nilsson, "if there's one thing I've learned out on the field, you can't bother questioning fate. If you live in the past, it could overwhelm you. Lord knows I've had my share of regrets through the years."

Suddenly, a voice comes in through the intercom, "Beta, this is Alpha; we're moving in now." It is Chun-Li's voice, and Triela and Claes glance at each other with anxious anticipation.


	40. Chapter 40

_**SCENE XXXIV: CAMMY AND CHUN-LI EACH TAKE ONE SIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR OF THE WAREHOUSE, WITH THEIR TEAM OF SOLDIERS READY TO COVER THEM. CHUN-LI COUNTS DOWN FROM THREE, AND THEN KICKS THE DOOR OPEN.**_

"We know what's going on in here!" shouts Chun-Li into the main room of the warehouse, "come out peacefully and no one will get hurt!"

A few tense moments go by with no activity. Chun-Li signals the troops to take flanking positions on the catwalks and other concealed areas surrounding the center. Cammy is eyeing the environment; trying to sense any sudden movement and ready to act on it. All of a sudden, a door in the back of the main room slowly creaks open. Cammy and Chun-Li run to the back before the door is fully open.

"Don't open it any further!" Shouts Cammy as she forces the door closed, "throw any weapons down on the floor or you'll be riddled with bullets in a heartbeat."

"I'm unarmed." says the man inside the door, "what the hell are you doing here?"

"You know damn well what we're doing here." says Chun-Li, "a little bird told us there's some nasty crap going on and we're here to put a stop to it."

The man inside lets the door close behind him. Cammy turns to Chun-Li, and both shrug their shoulders.

Meanwhile, Beta Team has been waiting with anxious anticipation outside.

"I wonder how long Alpha Team will be there before we're called in." says Triela, "I'm not used to being backup."

Claes nods her head, and then turns her attention towards a man shouting at a dog across the street from them.

"You useless Mutt!" he yells to the dog while practically choking it by pulling hard on the chained leash fitted to its neck, "keep up your barking and I'll throw you in the river where you belong."

Corporal Nilson notices the concerned expression on Claes' face, and he decides to intervene before she loses focus.

"Do you have a problem with that defenseless animal, bub?" he shouts to the man across the street.

"Nothing the army needs to get involved with." says the man with the dog, "just mind your own business and go back to protecting our country from the Nazis...oh wait, World War II ended more than half a century ago."

"I guess some people have no respect for their nation's army." says Triela.

"Some Swedes are still bitter that we remained neutral as opposed to fighting alongside the Allied powers during the War." says Corporal Nilson, "being disrespected in our line of work comes with the territory."

"I know from my history lessons that even the neutral countries played a part in the War." says Triela, "I would be proud of my country for its role in defending the homeland."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, Private." he says with a smile. Then he turns his attention towards the man with the dog again, "you there! We are requisitioning the dog in the name of the Swedish army."

"Like hell you are." says the man, "This mutt belongs to me and you've got no authority to require it."

"We are requisitioning that animal for moral support, and if you've got a problem with it you can bring it up to the Prime Minister." says Corporal Nilson, "surrender it and we will not take you up on charges of animal cruelty." He turns and winks at Claes. She eases her tension and cracks a smile. Triela puts her hand on Claes's shoulder.

The man holds up his hands, and walks towards the army unit with his dog; who he aptly surrenders the dog to Corporal Nilson and walks away dejected with his hands in his pockets. Corporal Nilson signals Claes and Triela to come over.

"I have an assignment for you." the Corporal says, addressing Claes, "I want you to take care of this dog until this operation is over. Can you handle it?"

"Yes I can, sir." says Claes, "but wouldn't this undermine my responsibility with the Beta Team's support in the operation?"

"This dog is our moral support, so it is high priority." reassures Corporal Nilson, "If Alpha team needs us, Rex here can wait safely in the van."

"How do you know his name is Rex?" asks Triela.

"I don't." says Corporal Nilson, "you can name him anything you'd like."

"Can I name him Pero?" suggests Claes.

"That's an interesting name." says Corporal Nilson, "it sounds Italian."

"It is sir." answers Claes, "named after a dear friend."

Triela remembers that Pero was the name of Angelica's dog before she had been nearly killed by her parents. She embraces Claes in her arms, and allows her to rest her head on Triela's shoulders. Corporal Nilson nods his head and smiles.

"Honor and respect among your brothers and sisters; and never forget the fallen." says Corporal Nilson, "I would expect nothing less from the type of soldier I would want to share a foxhole with."


	41. Chapter 41

Alpha Team has been anxiously waiting on the main floor of the warehouse for any sign of movement from inside. Over an hour has passed since the man from inside the door closed it behind him. Chun-Li receives a call on the com from outside.

"This is Beta team. Please update status as ASAP or we will move in." says Corporal Nilson.

"Position is stable for the moment." whispers Chun-Li, "thank you for checking in, Corporal. We will let you know if assistance is needed."

Suddenly she hears a dog barking in the background over the com.

"Is that a dog I hear with you over there?" she says, "You fellows can't be that lonely."

The corporal chuckles over the com. "That is an affirmative on the dog." says Corporal Nilson, "The animal was compromised from its former handler and we took it upon ourselves to requisition it."

"Help me!" Alpha team is alarmed by the cry of a young woman inside the closed door.

"Stay sharp, Corporal." says Chun-Li, "things may get hairy very soon."

Chun-Li looks over at Cammy, who seems tense for the moment.

"Are you ok?" she says to Cammy, "we need to be focused on the mission."

"I'm fine." says Cammy. She turns her attention to the door, "you have 10 seconds to surrender the girls or we'll unleash hell. Consider this your final warning." She nods to Chun-li.

Chun-li approaches the door and shouts, "10...9...8...7...6...5..."

"Ok ok ok!" a voice from inside interrupts the countdown, "we'll let the girls go."

"Smart move." says Chun-Li. She signals the soldiers nearest to the door to lower their weapons but to be on their guard. She makes eye contact with the snipers in the rear to make sure they were ready to put down any armed assailant that comes through the door deemed as an immediate threat.

The door creaks open, and a delicate but pale hand emerges.

Cammy helps the frightened girl open the door to reassure that she'll be in good hands.

"You can come through, sweetheart." she says to the girl, "no one will hurt you again."

The girl comes through the door. She can't be more than 15 years old. The clothes she's wearing are torn, so a nearby soldier takes his coat off and puts it around her shoulders.

"Thank you." says the girl, trying to compose herself through tears.

"How many more girls are inside?" asks Chun-Li.

"There's about twenty of us inside. Please help them." the girl pleads.

"What is your name, honey?" asks Cammy.

"Amanda" says the girl.

The soldier who gave her the jacket escorts her out the main entrance of the warehouse, where she is met with Beta Team.


	42. Chapter 42

Amanda is shivering under the coat, as she's escorted outside where Beta team meets her. Triela approaches the girl, and the dog follows closely behind.

"Are you ok?" asks Triela.

"I think so." says Amanda, "is that your dog? He's cute."

"His name is Pero." says Triela, "would you like to pet him?"

"Can I?" Triela nods her head; and as Amanda bends down to pet him, he licks her face.

"So where are you from?" asks Corporal Nilson.

"I live with my parents here in the city. I was walking home from the bookstore when those bastards kidnapped me. Oh G-d, I need to call my mom."

Amanda starts to cry. Triela comforts her. "It'll be all right."

Triela turns to Nilson. "Corporal Nilson, request to chaperon Miss Amanda to her home sir. I do not believe this is a safe environment for her; especially as we wait for the remaining girls to emerge from the warehouse."

"I'll consider it." says Corporal Nilson, "we need an update on the status inside and approval from Alpha Team."

As if just on cue, a call comes in on the intercom.

"Beta this is Alpha," says Cammy on the other line, "we are moving in on target; confirm."

"That is an affirmative on the confirmation, Alpha" says Corporal Nilson into the com, "I have a request from a member of Beta."

"Continue" says Cammy.

"The girl wants to return home." says Corporal Nilson, "one of our newest recruits have volunteered to chaperon the young miss home as she lives in the neighborhood. We will not move forward without consent."

After talking it over with Chun-Li, Cammy comes back with the answer on the com, "your request is permitted on the condition that a veteran officer follows the recruit and the girl."

"That's an affirmative" says Corporal Nilson on the com. He turns to the rest of the team, "the young private here will escort Miss Amanda home. Alpha requests that we have a soldier follow them for protection."

Triela waves her hands, "Sir, I would not need protection; especially if my fellow recruit can join me. We can handle it ourselves."

Claes walks over and puts her arm around Triela.

"We acknowledge that you two are more than meets the eye" says Corporal Nilson, "but we cannot undermine the demands of Alpha team."

Triela nods her head in reluctance. A young man stands forward and salutes the commanding officer, "Corporal Nilson, I volunteer my service to follow and protect the new recruit and her charge home"

"Private Thompson" says Corporal Nilson, "thank you for volunteering your services. Check your intercoms and your ammunition."

Triela calls into her com link and Claes gives her a thumbs up. She examines her AK-47 and takes the safety off. The young private checks his own firearm and com. Amanda grabs hold of Triela's arm, and they proceed to walk downtown.


	43. Chapter 43

Triela and Amanda have been walking downtown along the dark, murky streets of Stockholm for twenty minutes. While she seems to know her way around the town, Amanda paces herself and appears nervous. She has not let go of Triela's arm since leaving Beta team at the warehouse. Private Thompson follows the two girls from 50 meters behind in an army-issued jeep.

"Are we getting closer?" asks Triela, "I would imagine the army is expecting me back soon."

"We're not too far away." replies Amanda, "just a few more blocks."

As they turn a corner, Triela notices a woman walking with her arm around another as a car approaches them. One of the women seems familiar to Triela, but she stays the course; only glancing from a distance. Amanda points to an apartment building on the opposite side of the street, and they walk by the two women and the car without garnering attention. Triela recognizes that it's Lisbeth Salander, walking affectionately with an unfamiliar Asian woman. Amanda runs up the steps to the building and knocks on the door.

"Mom, it's Manny." says Amanda through the door, "I'm home, so let me in."

"Manny!" screams a woman from inside, "Your father and I have been so worried about you."

The door opens, and Amanda's mother opens her arms to receive a hug from her daughter. She peers down the steps to see who brought Amanda home to her.

"Uh hello there," she says waving her hands to Triela, "am I to understand that you are the one who rescued my Manny?"

"I am only working with the Swedish Army to escort Miss Amanda home, m'am." says Triela, "the army deserves the real credit."

"Hogwash" says a male voice from inside the door, "you brought Manny home, and that's good enough for me. Won't you join us for supper?"

"I appreciate the offer sir." says Triela, "but I need to get back to my unit."

Triela peers across the street to where Lisbeth Salander and the woman she's with is talking to the person in the car. All of a sudden the driver opens the door and yells at the women; pointing his finger at them. Sensing a threat to the woman she had only just met two days ago, Triela walks over to interfere in her defense; against her better judgement.

"Hello Miss Salander" says Triela, "is there a problem here?"

"Who the fuck is that?" says the driver, "and why is she carrying Rambo's gun?"

"What are you doing here?" says Lisbeth, "I thought you people were out of the country by now."

"We were called in for another assignment within Stockholm" says Triela, "a full-scale trafficking operation at a warehouse downtown."

"No shit" says Lisbeth, "you might get some information out of this one."

"Lisbeth, who is she?" asks the Asian woman standing there with Lisbeth, "she looks like she's as young as my niece in grade school."

Lisbeth smiles at the remark, "She's more than meets the eye, Mimi. She's essentially a trained assassin now working with Interpol."

"Your name is Mimi?" Triela says as she looks at the very attractive yet fit woman standing next to Lisbeth, "I have a friend named Mimi too."

"That's cute" says Mimi smiling back at Triela, "my name is actually Miriam."

"Oh it's nice to meet you, Miriam"

"Uh hello ladies" says the man in the car, "am I interrupting anything?"

"Stay the fuck out of this, dipshit" says Lisbeth, "we'll deal with you in a moment."

"Oh you'll deal with us?" says the driver, "Two dykes and a 12 year old gone postal? Mama come help me".

Lisbeth spontaneously punches him in the face, hard enough that his nose bleeds.

"You broke my nose, you bitch!" says the driver.

"You'll live" says Lisbeth.

Private Thompson, who had been watching everything from a distance, walks over to the commotion to provide assistance to Triela.

"What seems to be the problem here?" asks Thompson.

"Ah, the Swedish army" says Lisbeth, "Showing up late as usual. Your reputation precedes you."

"And what business of it is yours, Salander? "says Thompson, "we're on an important mission.

"If you want to make yourself useful, take this motherfucker into custody" she says to Thompson, "I'm sure he's got much to tell you."

"Then Mr. Motherfucker, you're coming with me." Thompson says to the other man, as he winks with a smile at Triela. She giggles back; while Lisbeth rolls her eyes.

"Come on Mimi" Lisbeth says to the other woman, "all this tension has gotten me horny. Let's go home."

"I could give you girls a ride" says Thompson.

"In your dreams" says Miriam.


	44. Chapter 44

Back inside the warehouse, the standoff between Alpha team and the criminals inside had been going on for nearly two hours. Both Cammy and Chun-Li have been shouting demands with little response.

"This is getting us nowhere" says Cammy, "we need to think of another strategy."

Chun-Li shakes her head as feedback from the intercom comes through.

"Agent Chun-Li, we have a person of interest that we apprehended after escorting Miss Amanda home" says Private Thompson, "he may have some insight on our friends inside the facility."

Chun-Li signals at Cammy to listen in on the conversation. "Come to the site but don't bring him in" says Chun-Li, "have Beta team interrogate him with extreme prejudice."

"That should not be a problem" says Thompson, "the Corporal has a teenage daughter around the same age as these girls. He'll get something out of this lowlife if it's the last thing he does on this Earth."

"That's good to hear" says Cammy, "please get here as soon as possible since we're at wit's end. We don't want to blow open the door with guns a'blazin. We still don't know how many girls are inside."

* * *

Private Thompson and Triela are driving back to the warehouse with the man they apprehended in the back seat.

"Where the fuck are you taking me?" says the arrested man (Man A).

"You'll know when we get there" says Thompson, "you'll keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you."

All of a sudden there's feedback coming through the intercom, and a familiar voice addresses Triela.

"How did it go Triela?" says Claes, "I was worried about you."

"We're on our way back now" says Triela, "We met Lisbeth out there after bringing Amanda home, and apprehended a man who could be useful to us."

"That's good, things are getting boring out here" says Claes, "we could use some more company."

"You won't get anything out of me" says Man A, "you might as well kill me now."

"Believe me, nothing would please me more than to see your corpse lying in a ditch" says Thompson, "but we need information. Now shut the hell up or you spend the rest of the ride bound and gagged in the trunk of the car."

Corporal Nilsson salutes Thompson as they pull up to the warehouse, and glances at Man A with a disturbed look. "Why does he have a bloody nose?" he says to Thompson.

"Salander" says Thompson shaking his head, "he made the mistake of opening his mouth to her."

The Corporal puts his hands over his head and chuckles, "so she showed restraint then. In the past we'd be interrogating men like him in the infirmary after she's done with them. Private Thompson, take this scumbag into the tent for interrogation with extreme prejudice."

Thompson grabs the arm of Man A and shoves him into the trailer.


	45. Chapter 45

_**SCENE XXXV: WITH PROGRESS AT A STANDSTILL, CHUN-LI CALLS IN TO BETA TEAM FOR AN UPDATE**_

"Beta, this is Alpha for progress report" says Chun-Li.

"We're still gaining intel from the suspect" says Corporal Nilson, "he's smarter than he looks, and it's been taking some heavy prodding to get anything out of him. But we're getting there."

As if on cue, Private Thompson abruptly opens the door to the trailer and runs up to Corporal Nilson with a quick salute.

"At ease, soldier" says the Corporal, "have you got some new intel?"

Private Thompson catches his breath and reports to his superior officer

"The man's name is Oscar Vespucci" says Thompson, "he told me there are over a dozen women in there; and he gave me the name of the ring leader, Savonarola"

"Savonarola?" asks Corporal Nilson, "where have I heard that name before?"

Eavesdropping in the conversation, Triela approaches the general with a salute.

"Permission to speak, sir" she says as she stands at attention.

"At ease" says the Corporal, "does this name ring a bell?"

"Yes sir" says Triela, "Christiano Savonarola was the executive of the Five Factions Padania organization in Italy for many years before they were taken down. He was captured by the Social Welfare Agency during a massive operation."

Triela takes a moment to stare up into the sky, and Claes walks over to console her.

"I take it you were involved in this operation" says Corporal Nilson.

"Yes sir" says Triela, "I was chasing a young man going by the name of Pinocchio. The Social Welfare Agency understood him to be a ward of Christiano Savonarola's."

"He had a son?"

"No sir. He was found by Christiano and another man in an operation to kill a family. Taken under Christiano's wing, he was trained as an assassin. To this day, he was the most difficult opponent of mine. I never faced a challenge like that before, and have never faced one like that since. In that last operation shortly before we captured Christiano, I had one final standoff with Pinocchio. I ultimately brought him down, but not without severe injuries to myself."

"I'm sorry for bringing up an old wound" says the Corporal, "but if Savonarola was captured, what is he now doing here in Sweden?"

"I do not have the answer for that sir" responds Triela, "not to mention the fact that Christiano Savaonarola was severely paralyzed from a car accident that occurred during that operation."

"I'm going to call this in."


End file.
